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9 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 
















“SPRINGINCx BETWEEN HANNAH AND THE DOOR, HE SHOOK HIS 
FIST ALMOST IN HER FACE.” Page 199 


LITTLE ^ -^r 
MISS SUNSHINE 


By 




GABRIELLE E. JACKSON 


Author of N 


** THE COLBURN PRIZE,*’ DENISE AND NED TOODLES,' 
“ PRETTY POLLY PERKINS,” ” CAPS AND CAPERS,” 
“doughnuts and DIPLOMAS,” “BY 
love’s SWEET RULE.” 







) ) ) > j > ) ) 


) ) ’ ) 5 > 


NEW YORK 

J. F. TAYLOR COMPANY 

1902 




Contents 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. A Queer Character . . . .13 

II. A Tempest in a Flowerpot . * 25 

III. Hannah 37 

rv. Sunshine 47 

V. Jebusha Introduces Abiah to Sunshine 57 

VI. Jerusha Shows Her Paces . . 67 

VII. “ I’ll Take Sar-sa-pa-rilly ” . .79 

VIII. A Big Dog and a Little Boy . . 89 

IX. Thorwald Christian Alexis Borgensen, 

Jr 99 

X. Circumstantial Evidence . . .109 

XL “ ’Twas * Affsphring ’ He Called Thim! ” 121 

XII. Sunshine Finds Danny a Whole Four- 

in-Hand 131 

XIII. A Wash Drawing .... 143 

XIV. Danny Goes A- Voyaging . . .155 

XV. Balder Proves Himself a Hero . 169 

XVI. “Up Jenkins! Down Jenkins!” . 181 

XVII. The Volcano Bursts .... 193 

XVIII. “Let Us Forgive and Forget” . 205 

XIX. Abiah’s Itching Palm . . .215 

XX. Fabwell Hall ..... 227 


7 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XXI. In the School-Girl’s World . . 239 

XXIL Chums 253 

XXIII. Hallow E’en 267 

XXIV. The Daughter of the Boarding-House 

Keeper . . .... 279 

XXV. Marion’s Misfortune .... 293 

XXVI. Sunshine Makes a Discovery . . 307 

XXVII. “ My Little Sunshine ” . . .321 

XXVIII. Abiah Lays Plans .... 337 

XXIX. Mrs. Ellery Lays Counter-plans . 347 

XXX. Abiah Prepares to Play Host . . 359 

XXXI. “ Now Tread We a Measure ” . . 369 

XXXII. Success or Failure . . . .381 

XXXIII. Mrs. Ellery Proves Herself a Diplomat 391 
XXXIV. Christmas Eve ..... 403 

XXXV. Peace and Good Will . . .413 


8 


List of Illustrations 


“ Springing between Hannah and the door, he shook 
his fist almost in her face.” (Page 199) Frontispiece 




PAGE 


“ Meanwhile one of the finest was having experi- 
ences of his own.” ...... 

‘‘ Headfirst into the water went the boat’s occupant.” 


113 

174 



‘‘ How perfectly lovely it is to be at home again, 
mamma.” ........ 

“ * May I have the pleasure ? ’ asked the boy with a 

bow ” 

‘‘ Her eyes fell upon a closely written paper.” 

‘ How-de-do ! How-de-do! Happy to see you.’” 
‘‘ Flashing his light into the gully he discovered the 
girl.” 


220 

271 

316 

363 



9 













I 

A QUEER CHARACTER 




Little MISS SUNSHINE 


CHAPTEE I 

A ^ueer Character 



IHOSE who had known him longest 


recalled just when and how the name 


of Gosh Darn Davis ” attached it- 
self to him, and attach it did to stick like a 
burr. In the little hamlet where he had dwelt 
for the past fifty years he was always spoken 
of by that name. In the village a few miles 
beyond, where he went almost daily to do his 
tradin’,” and even in the “ Hub,” to which 
he drove each alternate Saturday with his 
farm produce he was spoken of by this un- 
euphonious title. 

Years before he was for a time seized with 
mercantile aspirations, and leaving Hannah, 
his wife, at home upon the farm, he opened a 
stall in the big Boston market, where the su- 
periority of his farm products which he there 
had on sale, soon won him a lucrative trade. 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


But he was at heart a countryman, and it 
was not long before the heat of the city, the 
stuffiness of the small room in which he lodged, 
and the inferior quality of the food to be ob- 
tained in the restaurants near the market, be- 
gan to tell upon him, and he longed with a 
most intense longing for the peaceful farm 
tucked away in the hills, for his own clean, 
fresh bed-room, and Hannah^s cooking. 

In one of his worst fits of depression, and 
just when the city was at its hottest, dustiest, 
and noisiest, a customer came to his stall for 
her usual Saturday marketing, and noting 
his disconsolate expression, said : 

Why, Mr. Davis, what is the matter with 
you to-day? You seem quite unhappy, and 
look as though you had lost your last friend.” 

‘^No, no, no! ’Tsdn^tfriends! ^Tain^t friends ! 
Got a-plenty of them! But I can’t eat ’em, nor 
breathe ’em, can I ? Gosh darn it, I come from 
the country j where a man can breathe some- 
thin’ better’n this tarnal dust that’s a-blowin’ 
around here like all possessed ; git somethin’ 
better ter eat than the truck they feed a feller 
on in the markit, and, Lord-a-mussy, find a 
place ter sleep where there ain’t sich a rattle- 
de-bang, lickerty-split as is jist a-makin’ my 

14 


A ^UEER CHARACTER 


head fit ter bust open ; and I’m goin’ back there 
too ! ” By this time he had worked himself 
up to such a pitch of excitement that his voice 
arose almost to a howl of despair, which was 
echoed in the shout of laughter which rose 
from the men who stood about the other stalls. 

And that very night witnessed his exodus 
from the market. 

When closing time came he turned to the 
adjoining stall and said: 

“ Take the whole blamed truck ; I’m goin’ 
home! ” 

Home ! ” echoed the astonished man. 

How much do you want for your stock? ” 

“Not a cent! I’m glad to git shet o’ the 
sight of it. I’m goin’ back to the farm, and, 
gosh darn it, I’m goin’ ter stick there ’till I’m 
carried from it feet fust.” 

And go he did, and from that hour the 
market saw him no more excepting upon the 
days on which he drove in with the produce 
which he sold to the other dealers. But from 
that time on he had been called “ Gosh Darn 
Davis” by every man in the market, and 
gradually the name spread, until, as the years 
went on, he was rarely spoken of by any other. 
All this happened many years ago, and those 

15 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


which, followed wrought strangenesses in 
him,” until he became a peculiar character in 
fact as well as in name. 

Soon after his return to his farm his only 
child died, and with Jenny Davis her father 
buried all that was best in his heart. He 
never forgave himself the time he had spent in 
Boston, “ a-makin^ money fer ter bury Jinny 
with, when I might a*better a*staid ter home 
and kept her from dyin\” For nothing could 
persuade him that the insidious disease which 
robbed him of his treasure, had not resulted 
from the severe cold caught one dark, stormy 
night while driving the sheep back to the fold 
from which they had escaped during the hired 
man^s absence. 

But Jenny had never been intended for the 
bleak New England climate into which she 
had been bom, and after struggling along for 
a little more than fourteen years, had gone to 
a sunnier land. To her mother the blow had 
been terrible, and told heavily upon the excep- 
tionally reserved, quiet woman, and from that 
moment she was rarely seen to smile, but 
waited patiently for the time to come when 
she could “ go home to Jenny.” 

With the peculiar want of logical balance 

i6 


A ^UEER CHARACTER 


of some natures, Abiah Davis seemed to center 
all his resentment of Jenny’s death upon her 
mother, without pausing to consider that if 
the loss meant an endless sorrow for him, for 
her mother, with whom she had been daily 
and hourly associated, and whose narrow 
world and limited horizon she had filled with 
a holy and unspeakable joy from the hour she 
had been laid in her arms, the loss was as the 
end of all things. 

Years had passed, but Summer and Winter, 
through sunshine and storm, Hannah Davis, 
walked along the railroad track to the little 
Cemetery which lay upon the hill about a half 
mile beyond the farm. No degree of heat or 
cold could deter her, and as the years went by 
those living within sight of the track grew 
unconsciously to watch for the solitary figure 
which always passed by at the sunset hour. 
In Summer the little black lace scarf upon her 
head, and a small black “ India cr^pe ” shawl 
about her shoulders. In Winter the “ ice 
wool ” cloud, and a warm blanket shawl. Al- 
ways a bunch of flowers. In Summer the 
flowers from the old-fashioned garden which 
she loved and tended for the sake of the 
blossoms it gave her blossom, blighted ere 

17 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


it could burst into perfect bloom. In Winter, 
bright geraniums and other house flowers 
from the plants in her window garden which 
throve under her care as though magical 
means were employed in their cultivation. 
And who knows but the means were magical. 
Surely the heavenly love must have been 
touched by this earthly love, and the Heavenly 
Parent have felt the tenderest compassion for 
this earthly one. 

But these very pilgrimages seemed to irri- 
tate Abiah, and he grew to resent them more 
and more. Whether the sight of Hannah^s 
devotion incessantly recalled his loss, or 
whether his sorrow embittered him, who shall 
say? Certainly he grew more and more ir- 
ritable until he became a “ man not to be de- 
sired ” and impatient to the point of insanity. 

Hannah never resented his fits of ill hu- 
mor, and very rarely replied to his caustic 
remarks. When he got to the point in his 
peppery frames of mind when forbearance 
ceased to be a virtue, and the longer she en- 
dured the more aggravating he became, she 
simply departed: packed her small bag and 
walked out of the house to stay with her sister 
who lived about two miles away. There she 

i8 


A ^UEER CHARACTER 


would remain, leaving Abiah to shift for him- 
self until his peevish fit wore off, or until the 
inner-man, made miserable by his attempts to 
cook for it, rebelled in a fit of dyspepsia. Then 
Jerusha^s roan nose would appear under the 
hollyhocks at Mrs. Slocom^s gateway, and 
Abiah, now serene as a summer’s day, would 
say: 

Well, Hannah, ain’t ye been a- visitin’ ’bout 
long enough? ’Pears ter me I need ye some 
ter hum,” and with one of her rare smiles 
Hannah would answer: 

I’ve been ready these three days and won- 
dered why you didn’t fetch along.” 

It was just “ salt-hay harvest ” when one of 
Abiah’s fits of ill temper was developing. The 
old man, for he was now well along toward 
seventy, had been hard at work for days, and 
had fretted and fumed over it until he had at 
last reached a frame of mind which made the 
hired men say: 

Beckon there’s got to be a tempest ’fore 
long with so much lightenin’ a-gatherin’.” 

It came one morning before breakfast. 
Hannah was in the scrupulously neat sum- 
mer kitchen” preparing the meal, and the 
fragrant odor of coffee made its way through 

19 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


tlie open door. Crisp slices of bacon were 
sizzling in the spider,” and fresh eggs were 
frying in a pan near them. Slices of golden 
toast were begging to be eaten, and all was 
ready to be served the moment Abiah came in 
from caring for Jerusha; for his considera- 
tion for the mare was a degree greater than 
his consideration for his wife. 

“ Hot ! Tamal hot ! Goin^ ter be hotter’n 
tophet to-day. What you got fer breakfast? ” 
he said as he entered. 

Bacon and eggs, stewed potatoes, toast 
and coffee,” answered Hannah. 

^^What you got bacon this hot mornin’ 
for? ” 

“ Because you asked me to have it,” she re- 
plied quietly. 

Burned if I did!” 

No answer. 

“ Got any hot biscuits? ” a consistent de- 
mand under the circumstances. 

No, I have toast.” 

Don’t want the blamed stuff. I want some 
biscuits ; make ’em right off.” 

There isn’t time to make them now, and 
the toast is very nice.” 


20 


A ^UEER CHARACTER 


I want biscuits, and I^m goin’ ter have 
^em. Do you hear? 

No reply. 

I’m goin’ upstairs ter git my thin alpacy 
coat, and when I come back I want them 
biscuits.” 

Hannah did not answer but set the break- 
fast upon the dining-room table and took her 
seat. 

Abiah stamped across the hall and up the 
stairs. When he reached the top he paused to 
call back: 

Be you a-goin’ ter make ’em? ” but receiv- 
ing no answer he pounded across the upper 
hall to his bed-room. In a few moments he 
returned to the dining-room, armed and 
equipped for battle and biscuits. Hannah, 
cool, calm and collected, sat tall and silent at 
the head of the table. She looked the personi- 
fication of serenity, with her silky iron-gray 
hair drawn softly back from her temples, her 
lavender calico print fitting her spare figure 
as though it had been pasted upon her, and 
the snowy kerchief folded across her shoul- 
ders. Hannah was quaint in her style of 
dress, and clung to the soft mull folds about 


21 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


her throat when everyone else was enduring 
the tortures of linen collars. 

I want biscuits, biscuits, biscuits ! Do 
you hear? demanded Abiah, dancing across 
the room, and thumping upon the table in his 
rage until the dishes fairly skipped. 

“ I am sorry I can’t make them. I would 
have done so if you had told me sooner, but 
it is too late now.” 

“’Tain’t too late! You can do it if you 
want to, but you don’t; you don^t! You take 
a joy in a-tantalizin’ of me ! But I’ll git even ; 
see if I don’t. I’ll git even as sure as you live! 
And I won’t eat a mite o’ that stuff; no I 
won’t! Gosh dam it, if a man can’t have 
what he wants ter eat in his own house, he’d 
better git right out of it ! ” and out he strode. 

Hannah looked up as he stormed off, for 
such scenes were not unusual, sighed and then 
went placidly on with her breakfast. 


22 


II 

A TEMPEST IN A FLOWER- 
POT 



CHAPTER II 


A Tempest in a Flowerpot 

A S is often the case in New England, 
this house was but a step from the 
one upon the adjoining farm; the 
forty or fifty feet between them being divided 
by a low fence. There they stood, end to end, 
exactly alike, and there they stand to this day ; 
substantial enough to last a century. 

Mrs. Ellery, who lived upon the adjoining 
farm did not cultivate it but rented her land 
to Mr. Davis. Her husband had died when 
her children, two boys and two girls, were 
small, and as they grew up and graduated 
from the high school, the boys found positions 
in Boston, the eldest daughter married, and 
the youngest, Bess, remained at home. 

Meadington, though not more than ten or 
twelve miles from Boston, was not considered 
of sufiScient importance to claim a place upon 
the map. 

Mrs. Ellery and Mrs. Davis were warm 
friends; the warmer perhaps because totally 

25 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


unlike. Despite her fifty-six years, Mrs. El- 
lery was still a girl at heart, and keenly in 
sympathy with her children. Unless Mother ” 
shared all their pleasures, they never felt that 
they were getting their due. Quick as a 
flash to see the funny side of anything, and 
equally quick to make others do so, she was 
the life of the little community in which she 
lived, and did more than she suspected to- 
ward keeping utter despair from taking up 
its abode in her neighbor's home. In the quiet 
of that secluded country life, even though that 
country lay almost within sight of the Old 
North Church,” there were a thousand ways in 
which these two women could bring little 
pleasures into each other’s lives. In the fancy 
work, which, according to their respective 
temperaments they did, with a rush, and the 
most brilliant effects, or with the most pains- 
taking, exquisite neatness; in the preparation 
of their preserves, for both were famous cooks ; 
in the arrangement of their homes, and the 
care of their plants and window gardens, they 
passed the time pleasantly and profitably. 

It was the middle of August, and for several 
days both women had been taking slips from 
Mrs. Davis’s splendid geranium beds, and now 
26 


A TEMPEST IN A FLOWERPOT 


Mrs. Ellery^s slips, carefully potted, stood 
upon the half circular “ step stands” which 
later would be placed in her southern bay- 
window. For convenience sake it had been 
brought over to the Davises side of the fence. 
Hannah’s slips were standing in a row in the 
shade of her back porch. 

As Abiah came storming out of the kitchen 
he landed in the middle of the quiet little in- 
closure between the two houses, and his abrupt 
entrance so startled a couple of Leghorn bid- 
dies which were pecking and scratching about, 
contentedly discussing the desirable matri- 
monial alliances that their respective daugh- 
ters had already made, that they gave wild 
squawks and flew simultaneously over the 
fence into Mrs. Ellery’s yard. By evil chance 
they flew directly over the stand of plants, and 
as he followed their flight Abiah’s eyes fell 
upon it. 

Aha ! ” he snapped out, “ I said I’d git 
even with her, and I wilh Plague take her 
old plants ! A pesky nuisance and always in 
the way! I’ll flx ’em. Ain’t goin’ ter have 
such tarnal truck a-flllin’ all the winders all 
winter long. There, gosh darn ye, take that, 
and that, and that ! ” and at each exclamation 
27 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


away spun a flower pot to be stamped and 
trampled upon by the furious man. By this 
time he had worked himself into such a tan- 
trum that one wondered what special provi- 
dence saved him from a fit of apoplexy. Just 
as the climax was reached a voice cried : 

Why Abiah Davis ! What do you mean 
by dancing a sailor’s hornpipe upon my slips 
and destroying everyone of them? ” 

Had the voice been Gabriel’s trump, the 
effect could not have been more startling. 
With his cravat under one ear, his collar half 
off, his coat flying wide, his face scarlet and 
his hair on end, Abiah stopped and stared 
open-mouthed at Mrs. Ellery, who to have 
saved her life could not have repressed a smile. 

‘‘ Eh ! What? Your plants ! Don’t tell 
me they be your plants ! ” 

Well they are mine, or rather, they were 
mine; there is precious little left of them to 
belong to anybody now. How can you act so, 
and what has put you into such a temper, any 
way? ” 

Hannah ! Ain’t she always a-pesterin’ of 
me, and a makin’ me break the ten command- 
ments? ” 

‘^Ten fiddle-sticks! You never even knew 
28 


A TEMPEST IN A FLOWERPOT 


the ten commandments, let alone knowing 
whether you break them or not. I believe 
you are crazy, and if I were Mrs. Davis I 
should consult a physician about you, and see 
if it would not be wise to place you in an asy- 
lum,’^ said Mrs. Ellery with as sober an ex- 
pression as though she meant every word she 
spoke. 

‘‘An asylum! Me in an asylum?” coming 
close to the fence and resting one hand upon 
the palings as he stared at Mrs. Ellery. 

“ Yes, I mean it, and I shall certainly ad- 
vise her to do so.” 

“ Now don^t ’e. Mis. EPry; don^t ’e. I ain^t 
a mite mad; least-wise not the kind ^er mad 
you mean. I’m jist riled a trifle, ye know. 
Lor, bless ye, jist riled a trifle. ’Twon’t last 
long, and don’t ’e go a talkin’ ter Hannah; 
it’ll only jist set her by the head.” 

“ Pity it would not ‘ set her by the head,’ 
and then perhaps she would have more spirit. 
Why Abiah Davis, if I were your wife, and 
you acted this way, I’d box your ears as cer- 
tain as you live, and I’ve a great mind to do 
it this minute,” and down sailed Mrs. Ellery 
in all the magnificence of her five feet eight 
inches. 


29 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“There now; there now; Don’t ’e; don’t 
’e ! ” cried the completely cowed man, clapping 
his hands over his ears and backing off. 
“ Lor, Lor, Lor, I wouldn’t a-done it, no, I 
wouldn’t a done it if I’d a-thought they was 
yours. But I thought they was Hannah’s ! 
Lor, Lor, Lor, I thought they was Hannah’s.” 

“ And for that reason I am more ashamed 
of you than ever,” said Mrs. Ellery severely, 
as the now utterly collapsed figure began back- 
ing away, and kept on backing until it van- 
ished around the side of the house. 

Then Mrs. Ellery fied into her house and 
casting herself into a chair, laughed until the 
tears ran down her cheeks. 

“ Oh, what a man ! ” she cried. “ Bess, I 
certainly think that he is crazy at times, for 
no rational being could possibly act as he 
does.” 

“ Yes, crazy with temper. Mother,” answered 
Bess. “ But just wait till Sunshine comes. 
She will either cure him or break his heart. 
No one can resist her. But isn’t it dreadful ! 
Poor Mrs. Davis, I am so sorry for her.” 

“ I know it ! It is shameful, and yet she 
endures it all like an angel. Just look at my 
plants. Have you ever in all your life seen 

30 


A TEMPEST IN A FLOWERPOT 


anything so perfectly grotesque as that fat, 
gray-haired old scamp doing pigeon-wings on 
them? ” and Mrs. Ellery went off into another 
gale at the recollection. But, Bess,” real 
concern coming into her eyes, “ we’ve got to 
do something to bring that man to his senses 
before he drives Hannah mad. He grows 
worse and worse, and no one can endure such 
a life forever. What shall it be? ” 

“ We must make Sunshine the unconscious 
instrument. Mother. She is perfectly irresis- 
tible, and if she does not reform Abiah Davis 
my name is not Bess Ellery.” 

Meanwhile the object of their solicitude, un- 
disturbed by her lord and master’s perform- 
ances, went serenely along with her morn- 
ing’s work, and by nine o’clock was seated 
under the old apple tree near the back porch 
darning Abiah’s socks as carefully as though 
he were a model husband and her greatest 
pleasure lay in ministering to his comfort. 

But there was no sign of Abiah. He had 
disappeared completely. Dinner hour ap- 
proached, and when the distant whistles an- 
nounced twelve, Hannah, punctual to the min- 
ute, set her chicken pot-pie, with its flaky 
dumplings, upon the table, drew her pan of 

31 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


biscuits from the oven, and dished up her ears 
of corn. On a side table stood a tempting 
dessert of luscious blackberries. But still no 
Abiah came to partake thereof. Half past 
was struck by the old clock upon the kitchen 
shelf, and just as Hannah was thinking of 
returning the dinner to the stove to keep it 
warm, Jerusha^s — clump, clump, clump, — was 
heard around the corner of the house. Abiah 
got carefully out of the wagon, looked all 
about the yard, up at the closed blinds of the 
adjoining house, and peered around the corner 
to see whether Hannah was visible. But not 
a soul was in sight; at least, he could not see 
anyone, though had he but known it, one pair 
of feminine eyes were witnessing his actions 
from the kitchen, and two more from the next 
house. 

Going back to his wagon he drew off the 
linen horse sheet which covered a dozen or 
more flowering plants. After another close 
scrutiny he lifted them out, two at a time, and 
set them carefully upon Mrs. Ellery’s stand. 
Gladiolus, petunias, dahlia’s, asters, flaring 
coxcombs, marigolds, and several other late 
blooming plants, but not a geranium among 
them. After arranging them upon the stand 

32 


A TEMPEST IN A FLOWERPOT 


he stepped back to observe the effect. Pretty, 
I ’spose, if anybody wants ’em,” he muttered, 
“ and I’ve druv twenty-five miles ter git ’em. 
Wish it had a-been fifty and somebody had 
a-thrashed me every step ’er the way. Gosh 
darn it, they were her plants. Lor, lor, and I 
never knew it,” and mopping his hot face with 
his bandana he turned to lead Jerusha to the 
barn, where he watered and fed her before 
going in to his own dinner, although not one 
mouthful had passed his lips that day, and he 
had driven to Boston to buy the plants at the 
market, and then walked his horse half way 
home lest she be too warm to feed when he 
got there. 


33 


Ill 

HANNAH 


CHAPTEE III 


Hannah 

T en minutes later Abiah entered the 
kitchen and without the slightest 
greeting to his much-enduring 
Frau,” strode off to the hand-basin to wash. 
Then going into the dining-room he seated 
himself at the table. Thus far not a word had 
been exchanged, and for some time Abiah was 
actually beyond the power of speech. 

Let a healthy man fast for nineteen hours 
under ordinary conditions and at the end of 
that time he is prepared to do justice to al- 
most anything, but when you add to that the 
wildest physical and nervous exertion, his ap- 
petite is apt to put a wolf to shame. To say 
that he did justice to Hannah^s tempting fare 
but feebly expresses it. When the ninth bis- 
cuit had vanished and Hannah set before him a 
brimming dish of berries, he heaved a sigh of 
intense satisfaction and looking sideways at 
the calm figure moving so quietly about the 
room, said: 


37 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ Lor, Hannah, but you be a prime cook ; 
them biscuits can’t be beat, but, gosh darn it, 
why didn’t ye make ’em fer hreakfastf” 

As no reply was made to his query he arose 
from the table in the self-satisfied frame of 
mind in which a man usually finds himself 
after a particularly good dinner, and putting 
on his great straw hat, went out to superin- 
tend the hay harvesting. 

He was happy only when his work lay all 
before him. She could only be content when 
her housework was ended, and she could take 
her fancy-work or book and sit quietly down 
to enjoy them. Had she been placed in a dif- 
ferent sphere of life, or had Hannah Davis 
married a different man, the world would have 
benefited thereby, for she was by nature a 
woman of delicate sensibilities and keen in- 
tellect. But by one of those incomprehensible 
moves which Fate sometimes makes upon life’s 
chess board, she was placed where she was, and 
there, circumscribed in thought, word and 
deed, was compelled to work out the enigma of 
life. She never complained, never was known 
to express the faintest sign of discontent, but 
went along in the even tenor of her way, 
placid and calm, as though dwelling in the 

38 


HANNAH 


atmosphere of culture and affection which 
should by right have been her lot. 

How she had retained her serene spirit after 
nearly a life-time spent with Abiah, who from 
one year’s end to the next buzzed and fretted 
like a blue-bottle fly on the inside of a window 
pane, or raged like an imprisoned wasp, was 
a question which their friends tried in vain to 
answer. Poor Mrs. Ellery was sorely dis- 
turbed by the want of harmony in her neigh- 
bor’s home, and did her best to bring a bit of 
sunshine into Hannah’s life. She never by 
word or glance cast a reproach upon Abiah in 
her presence, for something in Hannah’s gentle 
manner made it more plain than words could 
have done that any comment upon his pecu- 
liarities would be painful to her. But Mrs. 
Ellery often gave vent to her righteous indig- 
nation when Hannah was not by, and again 
and again had said : 

What a blessing that I am not that man’s 
wife ! I know I should shake him ; I couldn’t 
help it to save me.” 

Hannah was devoted to Bess Ellery, and was 
never happier than when she had her with 
her. Knowing this, Bess spent many an hour 
in the quiet sitting-room, reading aloud while 

39 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Hannah worked, or working with her. Mrs. 
Ellery sometimes joined them, but with a 
mother’s true instinct, divined that in Bess 
Hannah saw something of Jenny. She rarely 
asked Bess to come, but the smile with which 
she greeted her told how welcome the girl was. 

An hour or two after Abiah’s departure 
Bess opened the little gate and passing into 
Mrs. Davis’s yard entered the honeysuckle- 
covered back porch. 

“ Are you upstairs, Mrs. Davis? ” she called. 
Yes, dear, but just coming down with my 
work. What can I do for you? ” 

Nothing, thank you, but just let me look 
at you this hot afternoon ; it will make me feel 
cooler, I think, for you always look so com- 
fortable.” 

Hannah smiled as she entered the room, 
and going up to the tall, fair girl touched her 
cheek ever so lightly with the tips of her soft 
fingers. The touch was exactly that of a gentle 
mother cat. 

‘‘Oh, Mrs. Davis, I’ve such a delightful 
piece of news! Mother has just received a 
letter from her cousin in New York in which 
he at last consents to Sunshine’s visit. We 
have begged him again and again to let her 
40 


HANNAH 


come, but she is so precious to them that they 
have never been willing to spare her, and I 
hardly dare believe that she is really coming 
now/' 

They are the cousins whom you and Mrs. 
Ellery visit every winter, are they not? Sun- 
shine is an odd name. I have never heard her 
true one." 

“ It is Eloise. Her father, Mr. Crowell, is 
mother's cousin. Bhe is a darling! No other 
word will express it. From a tiny baby she 
has always had the happiest disposition, and 
simply does not know what it is to be dis- 
agreeable. Everybody loves her, and I firmly 
believe that she loves everybody, for she never 
seems conscious of the unpleasant things in 
the world, but goes along taking its sweets a^ 
a bee takes honey; just because she never re- 
alizes that there is anything else to take." 
Have they other children? " 

No, Sunshine is ‘ all the daughters of her 
father's house and all the brothers too,' " said 
Bess laughing. She is just past fifteen and 
very beautiful, although she does not seem to 
have the faintest suspicion of the fact." 

How long will she remain? " 

We hope to keep her until October, when 

41 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


her parents expect to come on; but I don’t 
know,” said Bess doubtfully. 

I am truly glad for you ; it will be a great 
pleasure for you to have such a sunny body 
with you,” and a sigh told how this Sunshine 
recalled another who would, indeed, have been 
Hannah’s. 

Three hours later the quiet figure passed 
along the track and entered the burial plot. 
It was a peaceful evening; a fitting ending to 
the heat and turmoil of the day. The sun 
was just sinking behind the Western hills and 
fiooding the valley with its slanting rays, as 
though showering a benediction upon the 
homes nestling there. The river fiowed softly 
through the meadows beyond and seemed to 
say to the lonely figure in the cemetery : 

“ Oh, fear not, . . . thou shalt know ere long . . . 

How sublime a thiog it is to suffer and be strong.” 

Not a sound broke the stillness of God’s 
Acre,” and as though she had cast her burden 
at the gate, Hannah sat beside the mound be- 
neath which all that was dearest to her was 
sleeping, and over her face crept the peace 
which passeth all understanding.” In this 
sacred spot she found that which no other 
42 


HANNAH 


upon earth could give her, and the half hour 
spent there each evening in the hush which 
comes when the hours of the day are num- 
bered ” gave her strength to meet the uncer- 
tainties of the morrow. 

With hands peacefully folded in her lap she 
sat looking off toward the river, then stoop- 
ing down, she took up the bunch of flowers she 
had laid upon the grave, tenderly kissed them, 
patted the “ lowly couch as only a mother 
can pat the couch which holds her dear one, 
and murmured : 

Good-night, my darling.” Then looking 
up to the soft blue sky, in which the evening 
star was just showing in the after-glow, she 
said : 

‘‘ Heavenly Father, thy will, not mine, be 
done; but I pray Thee give me strength and 
patience.” 


43 


IV 

SUNSHINE 





CHAPTER IV 


Sunshine 

O NE afternoon about a week later, 
Hannah was standing at her kitchen 
table laying the last strips of crust 
across her huckleberry pies. Her back was to- 
ward the door, and she was quite unaware of 
the presence of the radiant little figure which 
stood within it. A small, beautifully shaped 
little figure, with wavy golden-brown hair, 
gleaming in the sunlight, great brown eyes that 
sparkled like diamonds and rosy lips parted in 
the happiest of smiles. It was a very up to 
date figure too, for the stylish grass-linen 
suit, the dainty pink percale shirt waist, the 
natty tie, were all of the very latest design. 
Trim russet Oxford ties covered her shapely 
feet, and the skirt just short enough to reveal 
about six inches of the russet hose. No detail 
of the toilet was wanting, save the hat, but 
one was glad of its absence. One quick glance 
took in every corner of the tidy kitchen, and 
then tip-toeing across it, she came up behind 

47 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Hannah and reaching up clasped her hands 
across her eyes. 

The startled woman let fall her strip of 
crust as a silvery laugh pealed through the 
kitchen, and the blithest of blithe voices cried : 

“ Guess who I am ! Guess who I am ! ’’ 

“ Miss Crowell,’’ said Hannah, trying to 
turn, but finding herself a prisoner. 

Guess again,” with another rippling 
laugh. 

Miss Eloise.” 

“ Try again ; Try again.” 

Sunshine,” said Hannah, who had hesi- 
tated to speak so familiarly to the little 
stranger. 

“ Yes ! ” withdrawing her hands and spring- 
ing back, and you are Mrs. Davis. I know 
you already, you see, for Bess has written me 
all about you, and I feel as though I had known 
you as long as she has. And will you let me 
come and see you just as she does? ” 

Perhaps I shall keep you all the time,” 
replied Hannah, smiling at the happy face be- 
fore her, for no one could look at it without 
being infected by its brightness. 

May I truly come as often as I like, and 

48 


SUNSHINE 


shan^t I bother you? I^d love to see you do 
things.’^ 

I fear that there will not be much for you 
to see, for I do so very little, but I shall be 
glad to have you with me nevertheless.’^ 

“Oh, yes; there is lots to see. Just being 
in Meadington is lovely, for I have never been 
on a farm before. When we go out of town 
in the summer we nearly always go to the 
sea-shore, and stay at a hotel, but out here 
everything is so open and glorious, isn’t it? ” 
“ I am glad you find it so delightful, and 
I hope that you will have a pleasant visit,” 
answered Hannah, instantly divining that this 
sunny spirit would find something “ glorious ” 
in even the most humble surroundings. 

“ I’m sure to. But I want to look at you 
real hard; may I please?” and Sunshine 
stepped back a few steps, cocked her head 
upon one side, like a meditative sparrow, 
clasped her pretty hands loosely in front of 
her, and looked steadily at Hannah. There 
was nothing bold or presuming in the scrutiny ; 
it was exactly the look with which a little 
child might have regarded you. Hannah 
flushed slightly, but stood the inspection 

49 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


without wavering. “ Well? she said with an 
amused smile. 

Yes, it is just as Bess said. She wrote 
me that you had the sweetest face I could 
imagine, and that you looked just like the 
little May blossoms she sends to me every 
spring; all pink, white and brown; and that 
it made one feel cool and comfortable just to 
look at you. Yes, I shall love you dearly, I 
know,” and without an instant^s warning, she 
put her arms about the astonished woman’s 
neck and kissed each cheek. 

Had the skies fallen, Hannah could not have 
been more amazed. From Bess she had heard 
all sorts of accounts of Sunshine, but none of 
them had done justice to the original, and 
while she had been prepared to meet some- 
thing a little out of the ordinary, both in 
personal appearance and character, she had 
never in her most extravagant fancies pic- 
tured such a being as this, and into Han- 
nah’s dull and uneventful life had come a 
glorious revelation; a revelation of love and 
beauty such as she had never dreamed of. 
Nor can we, who are daily surrounded by an 
atmosphere of affection, realize what this 
SO 


SUNSHINE 


meant to the lonely woman whose heart still 
ached “ for the touch of a vanished hand.” 

For a moment she stood without saying a 
word, and then gathering Eloise into her 
arms said with a sob in her usually calm voice : 

“ Oh, my little, little child, what have you 
given me? ” 

Sunshine looked up into the beautiful, ten- 
der eyes, so close to her own and asked : 

You didn’t mind, did you? I’m glad; for 
now I know we’ll be friends.” 

Yes, friends/’ was all Hannah replied, but 
the depth of the tone was more than Sunshine 
could understand, and over that gentle face 
spread the look which was never seen there 
excepting when she sat in the cemetery. 

When did you arrive,” she asked a few 
moments later, when Sunshine, was con- 
tentedly perched upon the end of the kitchen 
table and swinging her feet as though she 
were five instead of fifteen. 

“ About two hours ago. I’ve been talking 
with Cousin Elizabeth every minute, but she 
and Bess sent me out to see the posies while 
they unpacked my trunk. Then I saw you in 
here, and couldn’t resist surprising you. 
SI 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Where is Mr. Daris; I want to see him, and I 
hope we^ll be friends too.” 

“ It would be strange if you failed to be,” 
replied Hannah, with odd thoughts of Abiah 
passing through her mind, and wondering 
what this happy little being would think if 
she should happen upon him in some of his 
moods. “ He is down in the meadows with 
the men harvesting the salt hay. He will be 
home about five o^clock, but he always likes to 
stop at the great barns down yonder to see 
that the horses and cattle are properly cared 
for. We keep only the driving horse, Jerusha, 
up here in the home stable,” pointing to the 
red barn about fifty feet from the house. 

“ Is she there now? May I go and see 
her? ” 

“ Aren^t you afraid to? ” 

“ Afraid of a horse ! ” in astonishment. 
“ Mercy, no ! Papa has three, and I’ve one 
of my own for the saddle. He’s a darling, too 
and his name is Bonny Dundee. I can do any- 
thing with him.” 

“ I do not doubt it,” said Hannah. 

Good-by,” called Sunshine as she ran 
off, “ I’m going to get acquainted with 
Jerusha.” 


52 


SUNSHINE 


Hannah stood watching her until she van- 
ished within the barn. 

It was a low building, lighted -only by the 
door and one window at the rear end. As she 
entered she was greeted by a low nickering. 
She could not see the horse, for the stall was 
at the further end of the stable, but she called : 

Jerusha.’^ 

Hoo — hoo — hoo,” came from the darkness 
beyond. 

Sunshine walked down the barn and stepped 
into the stall saying: 

Well, old lady, do you think that you have 
known me all your life. Take a good smell 
and see if you like me.” 

Jerusha turned her head as far around as 
her halter rope would let her, and putting her 
muzzle close to Sunshine^s face, snuffed with 
long, audible breaths. The girl stood per- 
fectly still and let the horse inspect all she 
wished to. Evidently all was satisfactory, for 
Jerusha gave a contented little neigh and put 
her big, warm head into Sunshine's arms. 

You're a dear old thing! That's just 
what you are, and I wish I had something nice 
to give to you,” cried Sunshine, delighted with 
her reception. “ Let me see what I can find.” 

53 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


She stepped out of the stall, and as she did 
so, spied the old apple tree near the back 
porch. A moment later she had gathered two 
or three apples and was running back to the 
stall. Clambering into the manger intended 
for oats, and letting her feet dangle into the 
place for the hay, she took a pocket-knife 
from the little bag hanging at her belt and 
cutting the apples into quarters fed them bit 
by bit to Jerusha. 


54 


V 

JERUSHA INTRODUCES 
ABIAH TO SUNSHINE 




CHAPTER V 


Jerusha Introduces Abiah to Sun- 
shine 

J UST as the last piece vanished a step was 
heard upon the barn floor, and a second 
later Abiah came around to the front of 
the stall. The barn was built like the ma- 
jority of New England barns, and anyone 
wishing to feed the horses could do so 
without going directly into the stalls. Com- 
ing into the darkness from the brilliant sun- 
light outside, Abiah could scarcely see 
anything, but being perfectly familiar with 
every step, he went straight to the oatbin, 
which stood a few feet from the head of the 
stall, filled the three-quart measure with 
oats, and came with it to the stall. Je- 
rusha fussed and fidgeted, shook her head up 
and down, as though trying to tell him that 
her manger was already brimming over with 
a very sweet morsel, which in turn, was doing 
her very best not to brim over with laughter, 

57 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


for Sunshine^s eyes had now become accus- 
tomed to the semi-darkness, and Abiah’s bliss- 
ful ignorance of her presence was too good a 
joke to spoil. Supposing that he would, of 
course, see her before he emptied his measure 
of oats, she kept perfectly silent. But Abiah 
was rather near-sighted, and the next instant 
the contents of the measure were deposited 
fairly and squarely in her lap. The laugh 
which simultaneously broke from her lips very 
nearly caused Abiah a spasm. 

Mighty man ! Mighty man ! Mighty man ! 
Who’s there? And what in tarnation do ye 
mean by a-scarin’ of me half ter death? Come 
out! Come out! Come out!” 

Nearly convulsed. Sunshine sprung from her 
nest, and away flew the oats in every direction. 

“ There ! There ! There ! Jist see what ye’ve 
been a-doin’ on, and who on earth he ye, any 
how?” 

“ Oh, Mr. Davis, isn’t it too funny? Who 
ever supposed that Jerusha would introduce 
us? I’m Sunshine. Come out where it is 
light; I want to see you better, and you can’t 
see me in this dark place. You ought not 
have it so dark; you really oughtn’t; it’s bad 
for Jerusha’s eyes to stay here all the time; 


JERUSHA INTRODUCES ABIAH 


can’t you cut a big window right up there? ” 
pointing toward the end of the barn, and then 
taking the astonished man by the hand she 
skipped toward the door, in her eagerness al- 
most forcing him to skip too. 

Sunshine? Who on earth’s Sunshine? 
Barn too dark? Humph! what do you know 
about it, I’d like to know? Cut a winder? 
Burned if I do. Hang Jerusha’s eyes!” 
jerked out Abiah as he was dragged along. 

Oh, yes ; it’s quite true ; it will hurt them. 
Papa says that it’s very bad for horses to 
stand in the dark, so, of course, you will fix 
it,” and right here I will add that before Sun- 
shine left Meadington, Jerusha had all the 
light necessary for her well being. 

“ And now let me have a good look at you,” 
said Sunshine when they reached the door. 

Had Jerusha herself walked out of her stall 
and informed him that she wished to have a 
good look at him,” he could not have been 
more dumbfounded, for never in all his life 
had Abiah come in contact with such a being 
as this. Usually when he met strangers one 
of two things happened; he excited their 
curiosity or their contempt. But here was a 
small mortal who actually took him all in 

59 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


good faith, and laid down the law to him in a 
manner which left him no reason to doubt but 
that she firmly believed he would do exactly 
as she suggested. And now, wonder of won- 
ders, stood before him scrutinizing him with 
a pair of the biggest, brownest, sunniest eyes 
he had ever beheld, and to save him, he could 
not look away from them. Had the scrutiny 
lasted much longer I firmly believe that Abiah 
would have had a fit, but ere such a calamity 
could befall him, little Miss Ingenuous said: 

No ; you don’t look a hit as I thought you 
would. You’re quite handsome, aren’t you? 
But you mustn’t frown,” reaching up and 
drawing one dainty finger across his puck- 
ered-up brow. “ That puts your forehead all 
in little knots, and makes you look just horrid. 
I’d like to see you smile, for I think that you 
would look ve-ry handsome then. But I’m 
going to like you. Shall we be friends? ” ex- 
tending her hand impulsively, and then adding 
as Abiah took it in his hard one : “ But you 
are Mrs. Davis’ husband, and so I shall like 
you first for her sake any way, because I just 
love her already.” 

Mrs. Davis’s husband! ” To be liked for 
Hannah’s sake! Was this small bit of human- 
60 


JERUSHA INTRODUCES ABIAH 


ity about to turn the world topsy turvy? But 
Abiah still held the little hand in his own, 
and could not prevent a smile from curving 
his lips and displaying his wonderfully fine 
teeth. 

There ! cried Sunshine, as though the 
smile had been summoned at her bidding, “ I 
kneio you only needed that smile, and now 
you may look at me every bit as hard as I^ve 
been looking at you. It’s a great comfort to 
take a good look at the people you are going 
to have for friends, isn’t it? ” 

“Oh, is it? And I may look; may I? 
Well, gosh darn it, ye be worth a-lookin’ at an’ 
no mistake! Lord-a-mussy, ye be purty as a 
picter, and as fer a-knowin’ yer own mind, and 
a-makin’ no bones about expressin’ on it, I 
don’t reckon ye can be beat, an’ that’s a fact. 
So I be some handsome, be I ? ” with a chuckle. 
“ Well it’s a plaguey long time sence I’ve 
heard tell about it, but I ain’t got so old but 
what it kinder tickles me to hear it. And 
frownin’ spiles my beauty, does it? ” and Abiah 
actually threw back his head and laughed. 
Here Hannah peeped out of the back porch 
and smiled a knowing smile, and Bess and 
Mrs. Ellery dropped the articles they were 
6i 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


lifting from Sunshine^s trunk and rushed si- 
multaneously to the window. 

Well,” continued Abiah, I don’t reckon 
I’ll frown more ’n once in jist so often whilst 
you’re around. And ye’ll like me and want 
ter be friends fer EannaWs sake? Well, gosh 
darn me, if ye ain’t friends fer Ahiah Davises 
sake he’ll take blamed good care ter find out 
the reason why,” and he shook the little hand 
nearly off. 

“That’s nice! Now let’s go and tell Mrs. 
Davis all about it. She will be glad, I know, 
for she likes me already. Isn’t that good of 
her? ” and still holding his hand in hers she 
tripped across the grass. 

“ Here we come, Mrs. Davis. I scared Mr. 
Davis nearly to death, but he wasn’t a bit 
angry because he knew I didn’t mean to, of 
course. It was the funniest thing you ever saw, 
but we are going to be friends, too. He will 
tell you all about it, but I must run back, or 
Cousin Elizabeth will think that I am lost. 
Good-by,” and tossing a kiss to each, off she 
danced singing “ Sweethearts ” in a voice 
melodious enough to coax the birds from the 
bushes. Whether Abiah told Hannah “ all 
about it ” or not. I’ll leave the reader to guess. 

62 


y BRUSH A INTRODUCES ABIAH 


Sunshine found her cousins about ready to 
sit down to their tempting tea-table. Both 
smiled as she entered, and Mrs. Ellery asked : 

Well, Sweetheart, did you have a pleasant 
visit with our neighbors? 

Oh, lovely ! And isn^t Mrs. Davis just a 
dear? I like Mr. Davis ever so much too, even 
if he is so odd, and has such a funny way of 
speaking. I suppose some people would think 
him cross, but of course, I knew that he was 
only startled a little. I don’t wonder do 
you?” and she described Jerusha’s. introduc- 
tion. 

Yes, I presume some people would think 
him cross, but I knew that yon would not,” 
and Mrs. Ellery gave a satisfied little nod as 
she exchanged glances with Bess. 


63 



VI 

JERUSHA SHOWS HER 

PACES 












CHAPTER VI 


Jerusha Shows Her Paces 

N early three weeks of the visit had 
passed, and, true to her name. Sun- 
shine had brought brightness to all. 
It did not take the young people of Meading- 
ton long to realize what had come among 
them, and they could not do enough for her. 
Picnics, drives, little trips to various points of 
interest, moonlight rowing on the river, made 
days and evenings fly away. Boys and girls 
vied with each other to entertain the bonny 
little maid who had dropped into their midst 
like some rare butterfly. Always happy, al- 
ways merry, always exquisitely dressed, yet 
quite as unconscious of her pretty clothes as 
though they were of the most ordinary sort, 
instead of the daintiest that could be procured, 
she was welcomed by old and young, rich and 
poor alike, for to this bright joyous spirit, 
radiating happiness upon all with whom she 
was brought in contact, the social position did 
not exist, and she was fully as happy in Han- 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


nah’s kitchen, chatting with her, pottering 
about and learning how to do one thing and 
another, as she would have been in her mother^s 
beautiful drawing-room. Her parents lav- 
ished upon her everything that ample means 
could provide, yet it never seemed to do her 
the least harm. The only wonder was that she 
ever had anything, for her generous impulses 
carried her to such an extent that directly any 
of her young friends admired her pretty pos- 
sessions she could not rest until she had given 
the article, whatever it might be, to them. 
And so one pretty trifle went^ the way of 
another, and her parents never checked her 
unless it happened to be valued for associa- 
tion’s sake. 

One hot morning she was seated in the low 
hanging branches of one of the willow-trees 
bordering the brook which flowed not far from 
the house. A road wound its way from the 
great barns, now filled to bursting with bay 
and meadow grass, and on this Saturday 
morning, with the farm produce to be taken 
to town. As a rule, Abiah sent a two-horse 
team ” to Boston with the heavier produce, 
reserving for his own handling special orders 
for private houses where he had regular cus- 
68 


y BRUSH A SHOWS HER PACES 


tomers. His berries and eggs he would trust 
to no one. Ain^t goin’ ter have a reputation 
fer smashed eggs and squashy berries he 
affirmed. 

Eloise and Bess had been spending a de- 
lightful hour in the old willow, where the boys 
had placed seats, the former reading aloud 
while the latter did the week^s mending. But 
Bess had now gone up to the house to assist 
with the Saturday’s cake baking, and Sun- 
shine was spending a quiet time in a little 
dream-land of her own. 

She mad^ a wonderfully pretty picture as 
she sat perched in the tree. Her dress, a 
pretty white dimity, with forget-me-nots scat- 
tered over it, was trimmed at neck and sleeves 
with dainty embroidery, with baby ribbon 
velvet run through wherever it could be run 
and a little Miss Nancy ” sun-bonnet of the 
same material hung by its dimity strings 
from a branch beside her. It was a simple, 
girlish toilet, chosen by a mother wise enough 
to dress her daughter in a manner both com- 
fortable and becoming. 

As she sat there looking off toward the 
glassy river, Abiah drove out of one of the 
big barns. Jerusha was harnessed to a light 
69 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


farm wagon, and to judge by tbe load upon it, 
an extra supply was to be taken to Boston, 
for the big wagons had started hours before. 
The road ran close to the tree and as he came 
by Sunshine called out: 

“ Good-by, Mr. Davis.” 

He pulled up and looking up into the tree 
said : 

“ Hello, Pieter ! What be ye a-doin’ up 
there? ” This was the name he always called 
her. “ I be a-goin^ ter Boston with my truck ; 
got a sight er stuff ter day.” 

“ I’ve been reading to Bess, but she has gone 
up to the house to help Cousin Elizabeth with 
the baking now.” 

Lor yes; the wimmin folks has got ter 
make a whole passel er stuff every Sattidy, or 
they’d think a famin’ was upon ’em. Kinder 
lonesome, ain’t ye? How’d ye like ter come 
’long ter Boston with me? J erusha’s a mighty 
smart traveler even when she’s hitched to a 
market wagon, an’ don’t take no feller’s dust. 
Will ye come? ” wistfully. “ ’Taint ezactly 
like ridin’ in the carryall ye’ve always been 
a-ridin’ in with me before, but I don’t believe 
you^d mind a mite, would ye now? ” 

70 


y BRUSH A SHOWS HER PACES 


“ May I really go with you? I’d just love 
to! What fun! Just wait a second while I 
run up to the house and ask Cousin Elizabeth,” 
and springing out of the tree she sped across 
the fields as Abiah drove slowly along the road 
toward the house. 

It’s all right ! I may go with you,” she 
cried as he drew up at the door, and she came 
bounding out, sun-bonnet on, and white para- 
sol in hand. ‘‘ Won’t we have fun,” she 
laughed as she clambered into the high wagon 
and took her seat beside him upon the board 
which he had placed across the front of it for 
a seat, for the body of the wagon was so full 
of produce that the regular seat could not be 
put into its place. Off they started, a funny 
enough contrast, for Abiah wore his monstrous 
straw hat, and old linen duster, and the little 
city beauty, in all her dainty finery sat beside 
him looking for all the world like some lovely 
blossom that had blown there. Jerusha, en- 
veloped in a remarkable fiy-net of brilliant 
blue, with a scarlet fringe, and blue ear-nets, 
plodded along like the contented old lady she 
was. 

Well, now, I be powerful glad ter have yer 

71 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


company; I certain said Abiah, as he 
beamed upon her. I reckon we’ll have a 
right good time together.” 

Oh, I’m sure we shall. It was lovely of 
you to ask me, but then you are always doing 
lovely things for people, aren’t you? ” smiling 
sweetly into his face. 

Humph! Umph!” grunted (no other 
word will express it) Abiah, I don’t know. 
Do you think so? ” 

Why of course!’^ evidently surprised that 
he should question it. Just think of the 
times you have taken me out driving, and let 
me invite the other girls too. I wish, though, 
that Mrs. Davis would go sometimes, don’t 
you? But she always says no when I ask her. 
Doesn’t she like to drive? ” 

‘‘Well, no — o; I don’t reckon she dotes 
on it,” answered Abiah with a queer shamed- 
faced sort of laugh, as he flecked an imaginary 
fly off of Jerusha. 

“Let me tell you what we must do,” said 
Sunshine, looking into his face with a most 
confiding expression, “ you and / will coax her 
to go next time! I’m sure that she will go if 
you ask her. Mamma can never say no when 
Papa begs her to do something to please him.’^ 
72 


JERUSHA SHOWS HER PACES 


^‘No; no; I ’spose not. I ’spose not. Hi! 
there. Gosh darn ye, what’s the matter? ” 
this to Jerusha, who had suddenly jerked up 
her head, and started briskly forward. 

They were now upon the broad boulevard 
leading into Boston, and had met many a 
vehicle of both high and low degree. The oc- 
cupants of the former had glanced at the pretty 
girl perched high in the wagon beside the gray- 
haired old farmer, and smiled as they passed 
on. 

Looking back over his shoulder to see what 
had startled Jerusha, Abiah gave a snort of 
indignation and said: 

Huh ! You think you’ve got a spankin’ 
span, now don’t you? But Fll show ye a 
thing or two. Hud up, Jerusha!” and he 
brought his reins down upon the mare’s broad 
back with a sounding thwack. 

Jerusha plunged forward just as a light 
surrey, drawn by a span of handsome sorrel 
horses came dashing up from behind. It was 
a very elegant turnout, quite perfect in every 
detail. In it were seated a gentleman and 
three ladies who were not slow to take in the 
striking situation. Sunshine looked down 
upon them from her high perch, and waving 

73 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


her parasol smiled one of her irresistible 
smiles. But Abiah was attending strictly to 
business, and the way he sent Jerusha along 
that road, was truly a ‘‘ caution to travelers.’^ 
Seeing the fun to be had, the gentleman in 
the surrey, without appearing to do so, pulled 
down his span to keep them just neck and neck 
with Jerusha, who, game to the last, had no 
more intention of being left behind than her 
master had of permitting her to be, if, Gosh 
darn it, git along there! ” or “ Hit it up, Jer- 
usha 1 ’’ or Show ^em yer heels, old lady, even 
if ye be a-pullin’ half a ton ! ’’ muttered be- 
neath his breath, could incite her to a supreme 
effort. On they spun, and all would have 
gone well had not the front wheel of the 
wagon suddenly struck a huge block of asphalt, 
w^hich some luckless carter had dropped there. 
Then, alas ! came the beginning of the end. 
Up jerked the front of the wagon, down into 
the bottom of it went the board which had 
served for a seat, and in less time than it takes 
to tell it, Abiah and Sunshine were sitting upon 
the floor of their vehicle with both feet stuck 
straight out over the front of it. Sunshine’s 
sun-bonnet was tipped gracefully over her 
nose, her parasol was a hopeless wreck under 

74 


y BRUSH A SHOfFS HER PACES 


Jerusha^s feet, Abiah^s straw hat had sailed 
calmly into the air and roosted upon a crate 
of blackberries which was peacefully reposing 
in the middle of the road. Eggs, apples, ber- 
ries were scattered in a promiscuous heap in 
the bottom of the wagon, or dotted along the 
road. It was some seconds before Jerusha 
could be brought to understand that the race 
was ended, and during that time Abiah had 
lain nearly flat upon his back and tugged man- 
fully at the reins. 

As speedily as possible the occupants of the 
surrey stopped and came to their rescue, but 
were nearly convulsed with laughter at the 
sight they beheld when they found that no real 
harm had befallen their rivals. But Abiah 
was not happy, and muttered again and again : 

Gosh darn that stun ! If it hadn’t a-been 
fer that we’d a-beat ’em holler.” After a little 
matters were straightened up and they jogged 
along toward the city side by side. Where 
their ways parted pleasant adieus were said, 
and Abiah went upon his to attend to his busi- 
ness at the market 


75 


VII 

«rLL TAKE SAR-SA-PA- 

RILLY” 




















CHAPTER VII 


r ll Take Sar-sa-pa-rilly ” 

OW, Pieter, IVe got ter take this 
barril of early pippins out to 
a customer in Commonwealth 
Avenue, and on the way I want ter stop at a 
drug store and git some salve fer that blamed 
bunion of mine; iPs been a-twingin^ like all 
possessed lately.” 

‘‘ Oh, Mr. Davis, let us stop at — ’s,” 

mentioning one of the finest pharmacies in 
Boston. 

“ Don’t make a mite er difference ter me 
where I git the stuff,” and clambering into his 
wagon off he started. On reaching the store 
she said : 

^^Now you stay right in the wagon while 
I run in and get the salve for you, and some- 
thing nice and cool to drink too. I’m going to 
have some ice-cream soda; what would you 
like? ” 

Ice cream and sody? That’s a queer mix- 
ture. No, don’t bring me no such mess as that. 

79 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


I want sar-sa-pa-rilly ; that^s good enough for 
me” 

Very well/^ laughed Sunshine, as she 
clambered down from the wagon, “ 1^11 bring 
it out to you myself,” and nodding gaily she 
tripped into the store. A moment later, she 
re-appeared with the sarsaparilla, and handed 
it up to Abiah. With a sigh of intense satis- 
faction he took a huge swallow, and then 
turned and beamed upon the girl. 

“ Lor, but that cool stuff strikes a man 
straight where he lives, I reckon, and a-havin^ 
you stand there and smile at him ain’t a goin’ 
ter make it none bitter. Go long in and git 
yer own stuff, Pieter. I’ll tend ter this all 
right enough.” 

Sunshine went back to the store, and had 
just begun to take her soda when she chanced 
to glance out of the window to discover Abiah 
in the act of climbing out of the wagon. 

“ Oh, please go out and take Mr. Davis’ 
glass,” she said to the clerk. The clerk ran 
quickly out, and reached for the glass. Abiah 
paused with one leg out and one leg in the 
wagon. “ Come fer the mug, have ye? ” he 
asked. Well, take it along, and if ye’ve got 
8o 


^^TLL TAKE SAR-SA-PA-RILLT^^ 


a-plenty on hand I guess I might coax down 
another without more-n half trying.’^ 

The clerk laughed and returned to the store. 
Going to the fountain he re-filled the glass. 

Will Mr. Davis take another glass? ’’ asked 
Sunshine. 

“ Yes, Miss. He says he guesses he can 
without half trying,” answered the clerk, with 
a smile. 

Sunshine gave a little laugh in sympathy. 

“ Got a pretty good supply, 1 see,” said 
Abiah, with a quizzical sort of smile as he took 
the second glass. Now hold on a minit, fer 
I might take a notion that I could hold num- 
ber three. Umm! That^s jist the ticket fer 
such a scorcher. Goes a-tricklin’ down like 
a piece o’ the North Pole all thawed out. 
Here, bub, fetch along another.” 

The clerk fled. 

“ My good gracious ! He will surely make 
himself ill,” cried Sunshine, as she watched the 
man carry out the third glass. But AbiaJi 
seemed to realize his own capacity, and know 
how to gauge it. When he had finished his 
third glass he reached into his trousers pocket 
and drew out a dime. Handing it to the 
8i 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


boy, he said : “ There, I guess that settles my 
share.’^ 

Sunshine had just finished her soda, and 
taking the checks for that and the sarsaparilla, 
placed the change upon the Cashier’s desk, and 
then went out to the wagon. After she was 
seated beside him, Abiah said : 

Much obliged for my glass of cool stuff. 
It went straight to the spot.” 

By this time they had gone about a block 
from the store, and Sunshine could not help 
smiling when she recalled the three glasses 
so quickly disposed of, and the stress Abiah 
was laying upon the word glass, 

I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she answered. 
Yis, but I wan’t goin’ ter let you foot the 
hull bill. One treat’s enough, cordin’ ter my 
thinkin’ and that’s why I settled fer the extra 
doses. No offense intended, yer know, but 
I don’t never like ter play pig at nobody’s ex- 
pense.” 

“ Why Mr. Davis, did you pay the clerk? 
You ought not to have done so, for I wanted 
you to have all you wished.” 

“ Course I give him the extra dime. Yer 
don’t mean ter say that the young skinflint 
82 


^^FLL TAKE SAR-SA-PA-RILLT** 


took another from you?” and a frown came 
over Abiah’s face as he drew up Jerusha, 

Certainly, I paid him. I guess he thought 
that you gave him the ten cents for a tip.” 

Tip be dumed ! He never thought any sich 
thing, and I^m a-goin’ straight back ter make 
him fork it over. Catch me lettin^ that snip- 
en-frizzle get the best of me. Not by a long 
shot!” and he drew Jerusha sharply around. 

Oh, no ! Please don’t. It doesn’t matter 
a bit, for ten cents is nothing at all.” 

It’s ten cents,” was the dogged reply, but 
after arguing further he at length yielded and 
once more started upon his way. 

But you will let me give it back to you, 
please, for I want it to be my treat, and I 
shan’t feel that it is unless you do,” said Sun- 
shine as she took ten cents from the little silver 
purse at her side. 

“ It ought to be took from that young 
rooster back yonder, not you,” grumbled 
Abiah, but nevertheless he took the money and 
placed it in his pocket. 

It was only a short drive to the number in 
Commonwealth Avenue where Abiah was to 
leave his apples, and as he was making super- 

83 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


human efforts to get the barrel from the wagon 
without landing it upon his own feet, the door 
of the elegant dwelling opened and a gentle- 
man came down the steps. At first he did not 
notice the girl perched so high above him, but 
strove to conceal his amusement at Abiah’s 
struggles. 

“ Having a hard time of it, Mr. Davis? ” he 
asked, just as with a final grunt and puff 
Abiah landed his barrel safely upon the curb 
stone, then paused to mop the perspiration 
from his dripping forehead. 

“Hard! Well I should reckon I was; tar- 
nal hard ; the pesky thing weighs about a ton. 
Hot day; hot day, ain’t it? ” 

“ Yes, exceedingly, and — ” but here he 
glanced up and caught sight of the laughing 
eyes i)eering at him over the edge of the wagon. 

“Why Eloise Crowell, how in this world 
did you get up there? ” he exclaimed. 

A merry laugh pealed out as she replied : 

“ Didn’t Papa tell you that I was in 
Boston? I’ve been here three weeks, and am 
going to stay till Papa and Mamma come in 
October. I am visiting Cousin Elizabeth, out 
in Meadington, and Mr. Davis lives right next 
84 


^^FLL TAKE SAR-SA-PA-RILLT^* 


door. He takes me out driving everywhere; 
isn^t it good of him? ” 

“ And do you always go in the market 
wagon?” with a curious smile. 

Oh, no, indeed, we usually go in the carry- 
all, but this is lots more fun ! ” 

Market wagon!’’ snapped out Abiah. 
“ Do yer s’pose I don’t know what’s what? ” 
“ Not a bit of it; I’m sure you do,” was the 
conciliatory reply. I’m off for New York to- 
morrow night, and I’ll stop and tell that father 
of yours where I found his daughter. Good- 
by, come and see us when you can tear your- 
self away from your chariot,” and laughing 
heartily, her father’s friend raised his hat and 
started off. 

Please tell him I send him a lot of love, 
and that I’m having a glorious time,” she 
called after him. 


85 



VIII 

A BIG DOG AND A LITTLE 

BOY 





CHAPTER VIII 


A Big Dog and a Little Boy 

A DAY or two later Sunshine was sitting 
beneath the old apple tree reading 
the letters which the early mail had 
brought her. There was one from her mother 
into which a peep may give us even a better 
understanding of the girPs character, and help 
us to realize just why she could pass through 
scenes and experiences which usually leave 
their traces upon those who encounter them, 
but in her case served only good ends. She 
emerged from them untainted, unsoiled by 
contact. 

A happy smile played about the girPs mouth 
as she read, and her sunny face seemed sun- 
nier than ever. Little Daughter Mine,” the 
letter began, Close your eyes and turn your 
brain into a tiny camera where you can see 
pictured my sitting-room. You will see just 
the spot where I am sitting at my desk, and all 
the little trifles that are upon it. The little 
fairy upon the pen wiper smiles at me and 

89 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


says in a voice so soft that no one but Mother 
can possibly hear it : ‘ Sunshine made me/ 
The pretty pen rack says : ‘ Sunshine chose me 
for you on your last birthday/ And then as 
I glance about the room I see a thousand 
things which say : ‘ You have a little daugh- 
ter who loves you dearly, dearly,’ and I 
bow my head a moment and whisper : ‘ Thank 
God for giving me so precious a gift, and will 
he teach me how to guard it wisely and well/ 
How delighted we are to know that you are 
having such a happy visit with Cousin Eliza- 
beth, and are making so many pleasant 
friends. Can you guess how gratified Papa 
and I feel at the thought? It seems so much 
to us to have our daughter beloved by others. 
To win affection means so much more than 
winning admiration, for admiration may be 
drawn forth by mere personal charms, for 
which, after all, we can claim no credit at all, 
whereas to win esteem and affection we must 
have something within ourselves, tucked away 
down in our hearts, as it were, which can draw 
others toward us. And that can only be done 
by our very inmost selves. True, we are al- 
most always attracted by personal charms, 
90 


A BIG DOG AND A LITTLE BOT 


and we cannot be too thankful to the Giver of 
them if we happen to possess any, but those 
alone are fairy gold, and will not ring true. 
My little Sunshine ! How happy Mother is to 
hear you called thus. Carry it wherever you 
can, dearie. The world needs such a lot of it 
to make it turn smoothly, and oftentimes 
clouds gather where we are least liable to look 
for them. You know Mother^s little motto: 
^ Try to see it from the other^s standpoint.’ 
I know that you will recall a dozen instances 
where we have talked matters over together 
and tried to understand just how they would 
seem to the others concerned. Haven’t we 
had happy times together, dear? I long for the 
hour which will re-unite us, and yet I truly re- 
joice to have you with Cousin Elizabeth. She 
has so often begged us to spare you to her, but 
I fear we have been very selfish. There will 
be many ways in which you can repay her hos- 
pitality by affectionate and thoughtful acts, 
and these are the very best return you can 
make her. She has naturally a very happy dis- 
position, yet has had not a few trials to meet 
in one way or another. You still have three 
weeks before you in which to scatter about 

91 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


bits of your nick-name, and you will find that 
it is a magical possession, for the more you 
give away the more you will have. Then! 
Well, you will have to do something to guard 
against accidents, for it is fully decided that 
Papa and I will come to fetch you home, and 
we must not be held accountable for our con- 
duct after having been separated from our 
daughter for six whole weeks for the very first 
time in all our lives. Lest you forget how we 
look, I am sending you our photographs; the 
new ones we had taken just before your de- 
parture. We think that they are very good, 
and know just how pleased you will be to have 
them. They were very tardy in delivering 
them, but even that seeming annoyance has 
had a sunny side, hasn’t it? Instead of tak- 
ing one with you, you now have us pop in 
upon you unawares, and the little surprise 
makes it all the more delightful. Please give 
our love to Cousin Elizabeth, Bess, and the 
boys, and warm regards to our many kind 
friends. Bonny Dundee neighed his love to 
you when I gave him his sugar this morning 
and tried to ask in his horse fashion when he 
could expect to see his young mistress. Papa 
sends you a world of love. Just how much I 
92 


A BIG DOG AND A LITTLE BOr 


send you you must put on your very wisest 
thinking cap and reason out, for this letter 
can’t begin to hold it all. 

Mother.” 

Sunshine finished reading her letter, and 
then took up the photographs to look at tliem 
long and lovingly. A soft little mist came 
over her eyes as she did so, for the faces upon 
the paper were very dear to her, and many 
miles divided her from them. She was so 
absorbed in her contemplation that she did 
not hear footfalls upon the grass and her first 
intimation that anyone was near her was 
caused by the remark : 

Well, I don’t suppose they are any of my 
friends, or any of my business, but I’d like to 
know who that pretty lady is anyhow.” 

Sunshine turned quickly around to see a 
small laddie standing just behind her shoulder 
and regarding the pictures she held with a 
pair of large, earnest blue eyes. Upon the 
grass at his feet lay a big, shaggy Newfound- 
land dog which was looking at her quite as 
earnestly as his little master. 

“Would you, really?” she asked, smiling 
brightly upon the sturdy little man, who was 

93 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


as marked a type of the Norseman as he well 
could be. Can’t you guess? ” she added, 
handing him the picture. 

He took it, and turning his head a little to 
one side gazed at it very intently for a mo- 
ment or two, and then said : 

“ Her eyes kinder laugh like yours, but her 
mouth, — well, it ain’t kinked up at the corners 
like yours is, but it ain’t a grumpy mouth 
neither ; it don’t laugh at you, but it makes you 
feel as though she wouldn’t mind if a feller 
made a row sometimes when he just had to 
let off steam. If she’d let me I guess I’d have 
her for my aunt. I ain’t got none nearer’n 
Denmark, and that’s so far off that a feller 
has to get a map and look it up before he feels 
sure that he’s got one at all.” 

As the boy talked Sunshine had reached out 
and placed her arm around him to draw him 
toward her, and when he ceased speaking he 
looked her steadily in the eyes. 

“ I’ll ask her to be your aunt under one con- 
dition, and that is if you will let me be your 
cousin, for you see she is my mother, and if she 
is to be your aunt we shall have to be cousins. 
Will you agree to that? ” 

The lad did not answer at once, but draw- 

94 


A BIG DOG AND A LITTLE BOT 


ing away a step or two stood scrutinizing her 
keenly. All right. I guess you’ll do. I’ll 
make the bargain. When will you ask her to 
be my aunt? ” 

I’ll ask her when I write to her to-night.” 

O, isn’t she here?’’ and his face fell. 

No, she is in New York, but she is coming 
in three weeks.” 

I thought she was with you, maybe, but I 
haven’t seen her neither. I don’t come over 
every day, you see. Guess I haven’t been here 
since you came, have I? ” 

No, I have not seen you before, and I don’t 
even know your name yet, and here we have 
promised to be cousins. Will you tell it to 
me, and where you live? ” 


95 



THORWALD CHRISTIAN 
ALEXIS BORGENSEN, JR. 


CHAPTER IX 


Thorwald Christian Alexis Bor- 
gensenj Jr. 

4 C ES, 1^11 tell you, but have you got 
I a piece of paper handy? It’s sort 
of long and most people don’t re- 
member it very well, so I ask them to write 
it down and then I don’t have to tell it more 
than six or seven times. When you’ve written 
it down I’ll tell you where I live.” 

Smiling at the matter-of-fact young gentle- 
man, Sunshine opened the little memorandum 
tablets which hung at her side, and drawing 
out the tiny pencil said: Now I’m all 

ready.” 

Well you see we came here from Denmark 
when I was just a baby, and they had named 
me before I came. Maybe they wouldn’t have 
given me such a whopper of a name if they 
had waited till they got over here, for none 
of the boys seem to have such long ones 
But mine was all fixed up before we came, and 
it’s Thorwald Christian Alexis Borgensen, Jr. 

99 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


You can call me Thor for short if you want 
to.” 

It’s a pretty name if it is a long one, but 
I think the first one will be all I’ll use. Now 
I want to know the name of your dog.” 

“ His name is Balder, and he came over 
from Denmark with us. We go about pretty 
much together, and I guess he’ll like you, be- 
cause he has been looking at you and wagging 
his tail. He does that when people please him, 
but if they don’t he drops it straight down 
and won’t look at them at all.” 

I’m delighted to knew his majesty will 
favor me with his friendship. Come here 
Balder,” and she held out her hand to the 
great creature. 

Balder arose to his feet with much dignity, 
and coming up to Sunshine laid his paw in 
her lap, and looked at her with his soft 
earnest eyes. 

He won’t do that with many folks,” an- 
nounced his small master, “ but he has seen 
me watching you and so thinks it is all right.” 

“ Have you been watching me? ” asked 
Sunshine. 

“Yes; you see I used to come here most 
every day till you came, and then my mother 


100 


THORJFALD BORGENSEN, JR. 


said that I mustn’t come for a long time; 
maybe not till you went home, cause you was 
Mrs. Ellery’s company and she wouldn’t want 
me poking round when she had company. 
Say, don’t you want to come up to the house 
with me? I’ve got some business up there. I 
nearly always have business at Mrs. Ellery's. 
Most times I tell her what I want, but this 
time I’ve got to ’tend to it myself. Come on,” 
and with a determined little nod off he started. 
Curious to learn what the business might be. 
Sunshine followed. As though no stranger to 
the way, Thorwald Christian Alexis, Jr., 
marched straight to the rear door and en- 
tering without the ceremony of knocking made 
his way across the deserted kitchen to the 
buttery beyond. Mrs. Ellery and Bess were 
upstairs so could not hear the footsteps. On 
a shelf in the buttery stood a large stone crock 
the top of which was considerably higher than 
the small visitor’s head. Nothing daunted, he 
went back to the kitchen and lifting one of 
the chairs placed it beneath the shelf, then 
clambering upon it lifted off the lid of the 
crock and proceeded to fill his small pockets 
with the cookies which it held. Sunshine was 
too much amused by the coolness of the per- 


lOI 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


formance to utter a word of protest, for the 
whole thing was done as though helping him- 
self to other people^s cookies was the most 
matter of course thing in the world. When 
the pockets were filled to bursting, Thorwald 
Christian Alexis put back the chair where he 
had found it, and turning to Sunshine said : 

Now I must go upstairs and tell Mrs. 
Ellery. Come on.” 

Munching the last evidence of his maraud- 
ing he began to clamber up the kitchen stairs. 
Balder following close at his heels, and Sun- 
shine bringing up the rear. Making his way 
to Mrs. Ellery^s sitting-room where she and 
Bess were engaged with some sewing, he 
planted himself directly in front of them and 
said : 

“ Good-morning. Fine day, isn^t it. Thank 
you for all these cookies. Mother said I 
mustn^t ask you for any more, so I went right 
in and helped myself. I knew where you kept 
them, for I^ve often seen you get them when 
I asked you for some, and I knew you would 
like me to have plenty, so I took all my pockets 
would hold ; see? ” and he pointed to first one 
and then another, every one filled to bursting. 

“Are you sure you have all you want?” 


102 


THORWALD BORGENSEN, JR. 


asked Mrs. Ellery, her mouth quivering with 
her endeavors not to laugh outright. be 

sorry to have you run short, particularly when 
you have been so careful to obey your mother 
so well.” 

O, yes; these will last a long time, and 
you see, when they are all gone I’ll know just 
where to go and get some more, cause I don’t 
have to stop to ask for them now,” was the 
complacent reply. 

If I would guard against a famine in the 
family, I would better find a new place to keep 
my cookie crock,” murmured Mrs. Ellery 
under her breath, but aloud she said: “You 
have not visited us of late. What has been 
the cause of your absence? ” 

“ Her,” was the brief answer, pointing to 
Sunshine. 

“ But we have decided to be cousins,” broke 
in Sunshine. “ Thorwald is so pleased with 
Mamma’s photograph which came this morn- 
ing that he wants her to be his aunt, so of 
course, that will make us cousins. Isn’t that 
a delightful arrangement? ” 

“ Charming. How did it all come about? ” 
“She’ll tell you. I guess it’s time that 
Balder and I went back now. Mother doesn’t 
103 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


know where we are,” and nodding gravelj to 
the ladies the young man calmly departed. 

Isn’t he the greatest fun you ever saw? ” 
demanded Mrs. Ellery. He lives fully a 
mile down the road, and yet he used to come 
regularly every day and ask for cookies. 
Somehow Mrs. Borgensen learned of it, and 
behold the result of her restrictions laid upon 
her son’s tongue; they have affected his finger 
tips. I wonder what she will say when he 
explains how he came by a larger supply than 
usual,” and Mrs. Ellery laughed as she re- 
called the bulged out pockets. 

Would you like to see the photographs and 
read Mamma’s letter? ” asked Sunshine, hand- 
ing them to Mrs. Ellery. 

“ Are you sure you would like to have me 
read it, dear? ” 

Certainly you may. You will be glad to 
learn what she says,” and she dropped upon 
a low chair at Mrs. Ellery’s side. As Mrs. 
Ellery read. Sunshine turned to Bess to ask : 
“ What are you and Cousin Elizabeth mak- 
ing? Are you going to wear gingham pina- 
fores? ” taking up one of the small frock-like 
aprons lying upon the floor beside Bess. 

‘‘Not exactly. They would need the hem 
104 


THORWALD BORGENSEN, JR. 


let out to fit Mother or me. These are going 
to Mary Maloney^s numerous progeny. She 
was Mother’s laundress until she moved to 
Boston, and as subsequent events have proved 
the move was not a wise one, for Timothy, who 
was never over abstemious even out here where 
it was not easy for him to find the cup that 
does not cheer, has sadly fallen from grace in 
Boston, and the children are pining for more 
than the fresh air they were accustomed to in 
Meadington. Timothy cannot be depended 
upon to provide for the family, and Mary can 
do but little with so many young children to 
care for. The eldest boy is earning something 
as cash boy in one of the large drygoods stores, 
but the others are still too young to do any- 
thing. Mother and I are going to town this 
afternoon while you are up the river with the 
girls, to take Mary these things, and ask her 
to let us bring Danny out for a week or ten 
days. The child is rather frail and the change 
will do him good. Besides he is a handy little 
chap and able to do many little things.” 

I wish I could go with you,” said Sun- 
shine wistfully. I am sure I could do some- 
thing for them too.” 

^‘But you would miss the frolic with the 

105 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


girls, and they would be disappointed too,’^ 
said Bess. 

Vyb had such a lot of frolics since I came 
here, that I seem to have forgotten all about 
other people. Mamma’s letter has set me 
thinking about how long it is since I’ve done 
anything for anybody else, and I guess I’ll 
give up the frolic and go with you and Cousin 
Elizabeth. Will you take me with you? ” and a 
serious look came over the usually bright face. 

“ If Mother approves I am sure I have no 
objection,” said Bess, and just then Mrs. 
Ellery looked up from the letter to ask what 
she was to approve or disapprove. When she 
learned she answered: 

“ It seems almost too pretty a day to give 
up such a jolly little outing as the girls have 
planned, but do just as you feel disposed. 
Had it been planned especially for you I 
should, of course, say not, to break your en- 
gagement, but it has not, for the girls often get 
up such little al fresco teas, and two or three 
guests more or less can make no difference. 
We will start immediately after luncheon, 
dear.” 

I’ll be ready, and now I’m going to see 
Mrs. Davis. Good-by for a while. 

io6 


X 

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVI- 
DENCE 



CHAPTER X 


Circumstantial Rvidence 

^ ^ X X T E must do an errand or two be- 
\\ fore we go to see Mary/^ said 
Mrs. Ellery, as the trolley car 
made its way through the crowded thorough- 
fare, and they presently alighted from it to 
enter a large drygoods establishment. “ While 
you and Bess get the flannel I want for Mary, 
I will step next door and buy a pound of 
tay,” to hearten her up a bit.” 

Let me sit here by the door and watch the 
people pass by, while you go to the flannel 
department, Bess,” said Sunshine, as Mrs. 
Ellery left them. It^s always such fun to 
see them scurry along.” 

Very well, I won’t be long,” answered 
Bess as she hurried away. Sunshine seated 
herself upon one of the benches near the door, 
and soon became absorbed in the hurrying 
throng, for is there a city within the length 
and breadth of the United States where there 
is not a hurrying throng to watch? It was a 
109 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


busy hour of the day, and the street was one 
which is ever filled with busy people. Vehicles 
wound in and out of passages which seemed 
all too small and narrow to possibly accommo- 
date them, trolley cars clanged and whirred 
along, with people scurrying in front of them, 
and big policemen shouting orders to the 
motormen. Men and women dodged about, 
venders cried their wares, small boys darted 
under horses^ noses to the imminent peril of 
their lives (the boys, not the horses), and to 
one unaccustomed to the sight it seemed a 
pandemonium, while to those who witnessed 
it every day of their lives, it was entirely a 
matter of course. 

Sunshine had been watching the hurry 
scurry probably five minutes when suddenly 
a still greater commotion than usual took 
place, and things became more than ever 
tangled up. A trolley car came to a stand- 
still, and the conductor beckoned to an officer 
who seemed already to have his hands full. 
Standing upon the platform beside the con- 
ductor, and struggling to escape from the firm 
grasp the man had upon his coat collar, was 
a boy about ten or twelve years of age. He 
wriggled and twisted about until it seemed 


no 


CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


as though he must slip out of his clothing al- 
together, but the conductor held firmly and 
beckoned the policeman. In that jam it was 
no easy matter for the officer to reach the 
car quickly, and before he could do so, the boy 
gave a mighty wrench, tore away from the 
conductor, and with a defiant yell, rushed in 
and out between the crush of vehicles as an 
eel slips through one^s fingers. The policeman 
did his best to overtake him, but it is one thing 
for a small boy to make a passage through 
horse^s legs and quite another for a six-foot 
man. The boy reached the sidewalk, where he 
might have rushed on and been swallowed up 
in the crowd, but the temptation to get even 
with his former captor was too great, and he 
paused a second to pick up an old horseshoe 
which lay in the gutter and hurl it with all 
his might at the conductor. It missed him by 
a hair^s breadth, but crashed through the car 
window. Then the boy fied, but before he 
vanished in the crowd, more mischief than a 
broken car window, and a baffled conductor 
and policeman had come to pass. As the little 
scape-grace raised his arm to throw the shoe, 
a boy ran out from the store where Sunshine 
was sitting, and as ill luck would have it, was 


III 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


so close behind the young evil doer that he 
was forced to raise his arm to protect himself 
from being struck by the upraised arm. It 
seemed exactly as though he was about to hurl 
something, and the missile had sped upon its 
way, and the thrower of it vanished before the 
boy from the store lowered his arm. 'I’hus 
happen things in this criss-cross world. The 
officer saw the boy with the uplifted arm^ the 
one who had done the mischief had fled, trolley 
cars cannot lose time, but must go on to their 
destination no matter whether the scales of 
justice tip bottom-side up or not. A second 
later one small boy was protesting his inno- 
cence, but nevertheless, being led away down 
the street by an irate officer who informed him 
that he might make his explanations at the 
station, but that he, himself, had seen him fire 
that shoe at the car, and that was all he needed 
to see. 

It had all happened in far less time than it 
has taken to tell about it, and the sequel might 
have been very different had not one small 
impulsive little body taken it upon herself to 
give Miss Justice a vigorous shake, and jerk 
up those scales into their proper position. 

Sunshine had seen the whole occurrence 


II2 





CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


from her seat in the window, and at the climax 
sprung to her feet with her eyes fairly blazing. 
A second later she flew out of the door and 
down the street after the retreating officer and 
wailing boy. Happily for Mrs. Ellery^s peace 
of mind, for what she would have thought had 
she returned to And Sunshine vanished com- 
pletely would be hard to tell, that good lady 
appeared upon the scene just in time to see 
a pair of familiar looking feet go twinkling 
down the street as though life depended upon 
their speed. 

To hope to be heard if she called in that 
clatter was out of the question, so she did the 
next best thing and hurried after the fleeing 
flgure with all haste she could. 

Meanwhile one of the finest ” was having 
an experience of his own, for while exercising 
the power of the law, a small, firm hand was 
laid upon his arm, and a very decided voice 
was saying: 

“ You must not take this boy to the station- 
house. It is all a mistake. He didn’t throw 
that shoe at all : The other — ” 

“ What the divil ! — ” exclaimed the officer, 
turning sharply around in no amiable frame 
of mind at the interruption. Take care 

113 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


there, and lave go me arrum. I know me 
business.’’ 

O no you don’t,” was the rather unflatter- 
ing answer. You have made a great mistake 
and arrested the wrong boy, I tell you. I saw 
it all, and the boy the conductor tried to give 
you and who threw the stone, got away al- 
together.” 

“ Oh, he did, did he? Thin what am I doin’ 
with this spalpeen, I’d like to know? ” 

“ So would I, and that was why I ran after 
you, for you are really mistaken. I tell you 
I saw it all myself.” 

“ Well if it’s the truth ye’re tellin’,” and 
the man looked keenly at the dainty little 
figure who was speaking so earnestly and so 
utterly unconscious of the situation wliich 
would have been an exceedingly trying one to 
anyone more self-conscious, for there were 
many curious ones eager to hear and see all, 
’spose you come along and tell the same at 
the Captain’s office,” and he looked keenly at 
her to see if she were prepared to stand that 
crucial test. 

“ Of course. I’ll come. Why shouldn’t I? 
You don’t suppose I will let you arrest this 
boy when he did not do a thing to deserve it, 
114 


CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


do you? But Cousin Elizabeth will think I^m 
lost,” she exclaimed, as a look of dismay over- 
spread her face. The officer noted the look 
and from his standpoint of life it meant a 
weak point in the girPs assertion. 

“ Shall I take him along. Miss, after all ; ” 
he asked with a peculiar smile creeping about 
his mouth. 

Before she could reply Mrs. Ellery stood at 
her side, and was greeted with rapture, for 
turning a radiant face toward the man. Sun- 
shine said: 

“ You see it is all right after all. This is 
Cousin Elizabeth, and you won^t have to go 
back to tell her where I am. She will come 
right along with us. Is it very far? ” 

I go hach to tell her! Well, 1^11 be — ” but 
what he anticipated becoming was never dis- 
closed, for just then there arose upon the air 
a most mighty and joyous cry of : 

“ Oh, Mrs. Ellery darlint, is it yesilf at all, 
at all. Sure, Twas the Lord what sint ye to 
me in me thrial and desphair. It was scart of 
me life I was,” and with one prolonged howl, 
Jimmy Maloney cast himself upon Mrs. Elleiy. 
Matters for the officer were growing decidedly 
complicated. 

115 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


The queer party now took up its march to 
the station-house, which fortunately, was just 
around the corner, and ten minutes later 
Jimmy was as free as the air, for the big man 
seated behind the desk was evidently not so 
skeptical as was Jimmy ^s captor, and only too 
glad to relieve the city of the temporary sup- 
port of one small boy. 

On the way back to the drygoods store, 
where Bess was waiting in a state of unenvi- 
able anxiety for some trace of her mother or 
Sunshine, Sunshine and Jimmy explained 
more fully to Mrs. Ellery, and Jimmy again 
and again protested that : “It was the Lord 
what sint thim.” 

“ But what in this world made you run out 
of the store just at that moment, Jimmy? 

“ ’Twas sint out I was by Mr. Brown him- 
self, for to do an errant for him, and didn^t 
I come up behint that young vagabond just in 
time for him to get me into the biggest row of 
me life if yees hadn’t been there to see me out 
of me scrape. What iver would me mother 
have said at all, I dunno, whan I turned up 
missin’ in the avanin’.” 

“ Well, you must thank Miss Crowell, for if 
it had not been for her prompt action, I’m 

ii6 


CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


afraid I should never have known anything 
about it at all. We were just going to see your 
mother, and I^m glad to be able to tell her 
something pleasant, instead of something to 
worry her. Good-by, and next time steer clear 
of belligerent youngsters who settle their mis- 
understandings with old horse-shoes,” and 
Mrs. Ellery smiled at the alacrity with which 
he skipped into the shelter of the store to ex- 
plain to his employer the lively experiences he 
had just passed through, while she and Sun- 
shine made the situation clear to the bewil- 
dered Bess. 


XI 

«’TWAS ‘AFFSPHRING’ HE 
CALLED THIM!” 



CHAPTER XI 

^T'was ‘ Affsphring ’ He Called 
Thim! ’’ 

(( ■ iWAS so from the first. Nivir 
I was I in throuble that ye didn’t 
come wid releaf, and ease the 
heart and soul of me,” cried Mary Maloney, 
as she wiped the tears of gratitude from her 
eyes after hearing from Mrs. Ellery how 
Jimmy had been rescued from unjust arrest 
by Sunshine, “ and I do be thinkin’ that it’s 
a thrate av the family, for here is the cousin 
of ye doin’ the very likes of yersilf.” 

You don’t suppose I would allow such a 
dreadful thing to be done right before my eyes, 
do you?” asked Sunshine, as she sat with 
Patrick Maloney, aged six months in her lap, 
Katie, aged two, swarming upon the right 
side of her chair, and John, aged five, peering 
over her left shoulder, while two other 
Maloneys squatted happily at her feet. 

Isn’t he a darling. Cousin Elizabeth? See, 
he isn’t a bit afraid of me,” and she cuddled 


I2I 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


the plump, smiling baby close in her arms, 
while he crowed and chuckled his delight, and 
made wild grabs at the sunny locks so tempt- 
ingly near. The other children crowded closer 
and closer, touching and admiring with the 
utmost frankness any detail of Sunshine^s 
pretty toilet which especially attracted their 
attention. 

They were a hearty, happy set of children, 
despite their poverty, which need not have 
been theirs had their father been able to resist 
the all too tempting glass, for he was a capable 
workman, and able at any time to command 
good wages as a bricklayer. But it was diffi- 
cult for him to retain a job owing to his un- 
steady habits, and many times a good one was 
lost on that account. Still, Mary clung to 
him, and endured all sorts of privations, and 
often even worse, doing her best to supply 
what was needed, and to make the most of 
what she had. Ordinarily, Timothy was de- 
voted to his children, and this was a strong 
redeeming point in his not flawless character, 
but when in his cups his whole nature seemed 
perverted, and he was often unkind, and even 
brutal to them. 

Of late Mrs. Ellery had been hearing any- 


122 


« ^ AFFSPHRING' HE CALLED'' 


thing but encouraging reports of him, and felt 
that it was high time to go into the city to 
see how things progressed with the much-en- 
during Mary. Usually Mary was exceedingly 
reticent regarding Timothy’s peccadillos, and 
did not like outsiders to know of them, but 
Mrs. Ellery was a friend indeed, and when 
she went out to Meadington to see her, or 
Mrs. Ellery visited her in town, Mary’s over- 
burdened heart overflowed, and Mrs. Ellery 
became her confidant in all things. So while 
Bess sat on the floor, and Sunshine on the low 
chair entertaining her family, Mary related 
the experiences of the past month, and Mrs. 
Ellery listened, advised or consoled, as the 
incidents demanded, many times struggling 
against her inclination to laugh outright, for 
Mary’s woes were sometimes amusing to the 
last degree. 

Latterly Timothy had been increasing his 
vocabulary, it seemed, for he had made use of 
several words with which Mary was not fa- 
miliar, and, consequently, regarded as im- 
proper, if not absolutely insulting. To ask 
Timothy their meaning would only have re- 
vealed her own ignorance, and excited his de- 
rision, providing he happened to know their 
123 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


meaning himself, so she bided her time till she 
could ask Mrs. Ellery, and learn from her 
whether the terms used were indeed as oppro- 
brious as she suspected them to be. Lest she 
forget them, she had written them down, spell- 
ing them quite phonetically, with the result to 
be expected, and now, armed with her notes, 
she was repeating the conversations held with 
her respected lord and master. 

You see, he do be all right whan he does 
be sober, but whan he’s had jist a dhrop too 
much, then he do call the childer hard names, 
and it do make me that mad to hear him. Now 
the other night they was sittin’ on the floor all 
as paceful like as lambs, whan in he comes 
and thrips over some bit av a thoy that Johnny 
was pullin’ behint him, an’ with that he ups 
and sez, sez he, — ^ Git yer ’ — now what’s this 
he calls thim? Aff — ^Aff, — ^yis, that’s what it 
was, — Affsphring! Affsphring! Yis, sez he, 
— ‘ Git yer affsphring out from under me fate, 
will yez? ’ Did ye ever in all yer loife hear the 
loikes of that word,” and Mary leaned back 
against her chair in order to better observe the 
effect of her question upon Mrs. Ellery. 

To her credit be it said that she kept her 
countenance as she answered : 


124 


^ AFFSPHRING^ HE CALLED*' 


Why, Mary, that is a most refined word, 
I am sure. Bess is my offspring, and Miss 
Crowell is my cousin’s. It means one’s 
children.” 

One’s childer ! That word means jist 
nothing but one’s childer? And I afther givin’ 
Timothy the best blowin’ up av his loife for 
so miscallin’ his own youngones. Lord have 
mercy upon me, but eddication is a great 
thing, for all the whorld. But, listen now, 
darlint, for this toime I do be sure he meant 
evil, for it was talkin’ to me he was, and was 
askin’ didn’t I have twinty-foive cints fer ter 
give him, an’ knowin’ jist where it would be 
for goin’ I told him I hadn’t, an with that he 
ups an he sez, sez he: ‘ Mary Maloney, ’tis a 
mighty plan — ’ Lord save us, how do he twist 
his tongue around all thim big whords, I 
dunno ; let me see what I’ve writ down,” and 
she consulted her memorandum. “ Here it is 
now ; do ye look at it yersel,” and she 
handed the paper to Mrs. Ellery. Written 
thereupon were the words: plorsybal prevar- 
recater. 

Did he call you a plausible prevaricator? ” 
asked Mrs. Ellery seriously. 

He did that same,” answered Mary, with 

125 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


a solemn wag of her head, sure now that Timo- 
thy had been caught red-handed. 

Well,” continued Mrs. Ellery,” I really 
believe that if anybody felt inclined to tell me 
that I told lies well, I had just as soon they 
chose those words for the telling; you see it 
sounds just a triple more polite,” and a smile 
crept around Mrs. Ellery^s mouth. 

Was it callin’ me a liar, he was? W'ell 
that do beat all. Faith, I thot he meant that 
I was stingy wid me money. But did ye note 
thim too last whords? ’Twas last night he 
used thim to Kitty there. He sint her out to 
the store fer a package of terbacker, and she 
came back wid the wrong kind because the 
man didn’t have what he sint her for, an’ when 
she gave it to him, he kind av draws arf, an’ 
looks at her wid a funny squint, ye know the 
kind he makes whan he do have jist a schmall 
little dhrop, an sez he : ^ Kitty, me darlint, 

whan I sind ye fer the wade what comes 
wrapped in a prodhuct av the earth, an’ 
sthamped wid Taurus, why the dhwil do ye be 
afther bringin’ me this dhirty plug? ’ What’s 
Taurus, I dunno? and what sort av a paper 
is a ‘ prodhuct ’? ” 


126 


^AFFSPHRING ’ HE CALLED^^ 


It required more than Mrs. Ellery^s knowl- 
edge of English and Latin to set Mary straight, 
and by this time both Bess and Sunshine were 
listening to the conversation. By dint of 
much patience Mary was made to understand 
Timothy^s flowery language, and when she was 
set at rest in her mind, other matters were 
discussed. Danny was scoured and scrubbed 
within an inch of his life, and his small ward- 
robe packed into the satchel Mrs. Ellery had 
brought along for its accommodation, feeling 
sure that Mary^s travelling outfit would be 
confined to shoes. It was no small undertak- 
ing to get even one member of the lively family 
under way, for the others were all eager to 
help, and fairly tumbled over each other in 
their excitement. But they started at last, 
and had gotten to the bottom of the four 
flights of stairs, when Danny discovered that 
he had lost the bright new penny which Sun- 
shine had given to him. There was nothing 
to do but clamber back to hunt for it, for go 
without it Daniel Maloney would not. Search 
was made in every possible place, and at last 
when it was decided to give it up as hopelessly 
lost, and Danny was upon the verge of a howl, 
127 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


it was discovered in his mouth, and only fell 
out when he began to cry. 

Mrs. Ellery’s home, nevertheless, was 
reached in due season, and Danny turned 
loose. Sunshine assuming the responsibility 
of his life and limb. 


128 


SUNSHINE FINDS DANNY 
A WHOLE FOUR-IN-HAND 



.i 


CHAPTER XII 


Sunshine Finds Danny a Whole 
Four-in^-Hand 

N OW Danny Maloney had reached the 
advanced age of mine, and gained 
considerable experience in the ways 
of the world from contact with his parent, who 
did not hesitate to enlighten him with his shoe 
toe or any other convenient article. Conse- 
quently, while beneath the shelter of his own 
roof-tree, Daniel Maloney was circumspect in 
his line of conduct, and practiced suppression. 
But Daniel Maloney out in Meadington, 
turned loose upon Mrs. Ellery’s farm, nnd 
with nothing worse to dread than Mrs. Ellery’s 
twinkling eyes, was re-incarnated, and the 
process of evolution threatened to turn hind- 
side-before, for no monkey ever cut wilder an- 
tics. When Sunshine assured Mrs. Ellery 
that she would take Danny in charge she little 
recked what she had bargained for. 

Upon Mrs. Ellery’s premises stood a barn, 
the exact counterpart of Mr. Davis’, but ordi- 

131 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


narily used only for storing away odd things 
which have a trick of accumulating, but which 
are at times too useful to be entirely discarded. 
This barn was paradise to Danny, and he had 
not been at Mrs. Ellery^s one hour before he 
was unearthing treasures hidden in its dim 
recesses the year before, but remembered as 
only a child can remember trifles. In the 
midst of his investigations he was called to his 
supper, and several treasures were still un- 
recovered. 

“ Do ye moind thim towel racks ye give me 
last summer, Mrs. Ellery? I hid thim in the 
hay-loft whin I wint back.^’ 

“ Towel racks ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Ellery, 
thinking that Danny must have in mind some 
article of furniture, but unable to recall ever 
having given him anything of the sort, al- 
though Danny was an enthusiastic collector 
of antiques. 

“ Yis, ma’am ; thim round ring things what 
used ter be in Mr. James’s room, and he stook 
the towels troo. Do ye moind the toim three 
av his clane towels slid troo an’ fell into the 
slop pail, an’ he said thim rings was a fake, 
and he wished ye’d take thim away, fer he 
132 


A WHOLE FOUR-IN-HAND 


niver knew whether he’d foind a clone towel 
or a dhirty wan in his room? ” 

“ How upon earth do you remember all 
those little happenings, Danny? ” asked Bess. 

It’s not much what happens out here, I 
forgit,” answered Danny with a sage nod. 
“ Mrs. Ellery, there give thim rings to me, and 
Mr. James said that the only thing they was 
fit for was a gernasum, an’ I’d betther hang 
thim up in the barn beyant an’ go in fer 
muscle. I was goin’ ter, but the very nixt day 
me mother was tnk sick an’ I had to go back. 
Do you think they’re there yit? ” 

I am sure that nobody would disturb them 
and to-morrow morning you may hunt them 
up. Where did you hide them? ” 

Up in the loft.” 

“ Very well, after the chores are done in the 
morning you may look for them, and rig up 
your trapeze, or whatever you call it. But Mr. 
Davis has stored a good bit of hay in the loft 
this year, and you may have to burrow to 
reach your treasures.” 

I kin do that same,” was the positive as- 
sertion. 

The alacrity with which Danny performed 

133 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


liis duties next morning left Mrs. Ellery no 
cause for complaint. 

Then Danny vanished, and when next he 
appeared upon the scene the object of his en- 
deavors seemed to have hopelessly failed, for 
every muscle he might have possessed seemed 
to have been removed by elfin surgeons. 

Sunshine,” called Mrs. Ellery from the 
dining-room where she was laying the table 
for the noon meal, “do you see anything of 
Danny? ” 

“ No, Cousin Elizabeth, but I’ll hunt him 
up if you want him,” answered Sunshine from 
the piazza where she was writing a letter to 
her mother. 

“ Do, please. I want him to run over to 
Mrs. Lester’s with some of these crullers. She 
is so fond of them, and they are just fried.” 

Sunshine laid down her portfolio and ran 
down the steps calling : 

“ Danny, Oh, Danny ! ” but there was no re- 
ply, so, remembering the morning’s conversa- 
tion she started for the barn, still calling. But 
there was no sound or sign of Danny. Within 
the barn all was silent and no reply came to 
her calls. 

“ He must be out here,” she said half aloud, 

134 


A WHOLE FOURAN-HAND 


“ for I saw him come this way, and have not 
seen sign of him since. Danny ! D-a-n-n-y ! 

This barn was no lighter than its neighbor, 
and Sunshine could see almost nothing, but 
thinking that possibly Danny might have 
fallen asleep after his gymnastic exercise she 
opened the large doors to let in the light upon 
her search. She looked into the unused stalls, 
behind barrels and boxes, into the seat of an 
ancient vehicle, a relic of former days, and 
was about to abandon the search as useless 
when she chanced to glance toward the ceiling, 
and was struck dumb at the sight which she 
beheld. Dangling through the opening in the 
floor of the loft was one limp leg. Had it been 
a rag dolPs leg it could not have hung more 
motionless. 

For a second Sunshine stood speechless and 
then giving a little gasp she flew to the steep 
ladder leading to the loft and scrambled up it 
like a monkey. As she emerged from the open- 
ing at the top she found herself surrounded by 
the hay which was piled up on every side, 
and completely concealed the part of the loft 
nearest the doors at the front of it. Scram- 
bling over it, she almost rolled down upon a 
limp little object which lay upon the floor, 

135 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


where the hay had been pushed back. There 
it lay, flat upon its stomach, both arms and 
one leg stretched out to form three-quarters 
of the letter X, but the fourth section of the 
X was missing. 

‘‘ Mercy upon us, what has happened to you, 
Danny?’’ screamed Sunshine, as she rushed 
toward the prostrate flgure. Danny ! Danny ! 
what, is the matter? ” she cried as she lifted 
him up, thereby bringing to light the missing 
portion of the X which dangled through the 
hole in the loft floor, and at the same time 
nearly slipping through herself, for this hole 
had been cut for convenience in unloading hay 
from a wagon driven directly into the bam, 
and when the load had been stored away the 
men had forgotten to put back the cover over 
the hole. 

Overhead was Danny’s towel-rack ” con- 
verted into swinging rings, as the long ropes 
by which they were suspended from the barn 
roof testified. 

As Sunshine caught up the apparently life- 
less boy, and turned to go down to the lower 
part of the bam with him a new difficulty 
confronted her, for carry the child down that 
ladder she could not, and laying him upon the 
136 


A WHOLE FOURAN-HAND 


hay she ran to the doors and called to Bess 
and Mrs. Ellery. They both came running 
out and cried in a breath : 

“ What has happened? What is the mat- 
ter? ” 

Oh, do come here quickly, for Danny has 
killed himself, I’m afraid.” 

But Danny had not killed himself, and by the 
time Mrs. Ellery and Bess emerged above the 
opening, Danny was gasping upon the hay, 
while Sunshine bent over him chafing his 
hands and begging him not to die. 

‘‘ He has had the breath knocked straight 
out of him in some way ! ” exclaimed Mrs. El- 
lery. How in this world could it have hap- 
pened.” 

The — the — ho — how — howl — in — the 
fioor ! ” gasped Danny. 

Yes,” answered Sunshine, ‘‘ when I came 
into the barn there was his leg hanging 
through it, and I found him flat upon his stom- 
ach right across it.” 

« I — I — 'vvas a-swingin’ on — on — me rings 
up there. I was a-goin’ it fo-i-n, when I heered 
ye a-callin’ me, an — an — I jump-e-d. Bad cess 
to it, I j-u-m-p — ed aff the earth entoirly, fer 
me f ut wint c-le-a — r throo de floor, an whin me 

137 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


belly sthruck I thout I was a gonner, for — for 
— there wan’t nothin^ lift insoid me at all, at 
all.” 

By their united efforts Danny was gotten 
down the ladder and carried into the house, 
where he was rapidly revived and ready to give 
a detailed account of how the catastrophe hap- 
pened. 

“ How did it happen that you failed to see 
that opening in the floor, Danny? ” asked Bess. 

“ The hay was over it. Not a big pile like 
that beyant, but jist some that made it nice ter 
jump on, an^ I^d me rings fixed foin, an^ was 
gettin^ up me muscle to bate Fitzsimmons. 
Look at that will ye? ” he said proudly, as he 
pushed up his sleeve to show a little broom- 
handle arm. “ Do ye see that muscle swell. 
Ah, now think av the way that hole did me up.” 

It is a mercy that it did not do you up ” 
beyond all recovery. Goodness, supxwse you 
had fallen right through and been killed by 
striking upon some of the things on the lower 
floor. It makes me shudder even to speak of 
it.” 

There, there now,” said Danny soothingly. 

Don^t ye go to frettin^ yersilf, Mrs. Ellery 
darlint, there’s no bones in me belly ter break, 

138 


A WHOLE FOURAN-HAND 


is there now? ” kneading his small fists into 
that portion of his person until they seemed to 
vanish from sight and one wondered whether 
nature had overlooked the small matter of 
placing within it the organs one usually lo- 
cates there. 

Well, I shall take good care that the open- 
ing in the loft floor is nailed up, and when the 
men want to put in their hay they may poke it 
in through the doors or not put it in at all. I 
don’t want another such fright as this for some 
time to come,” said Mrs. Ellery, for assuming 
the responsibility for the life and limb of one 
small child was no light matter as she was 
learning. 

“ And this is the way I am fulfilling my duty 
and my promises,” said Sunshine, laughing. 

Danny, after this I think that I shall tie a 
string to you, for then I shall know just where 
to find you, and Cousin Elizabeth need not 
worry.” 

It’s no sthring I’m nadin’,” asserted 
Danny. “ It’s somethin’ betther than nothin’ 
ter sthand on whin I jump.” 


139 


■I 




‘ ■ 


XIII 

A WASH DRAWING 


CHAPTER XIII 


A Wash Drawing 

T Tow do ye do it at all/ P dunno, 

I I said Danny as he stood beside 
Sunshine a few afternoons later 
when she was seated upon the bank of the 
river making a little water-color sketch for 
her mother^s birthday which was not far off. 

Sit down on the grass beside me and watch 
how I do it,” answered Sunshine. Do you 
see that little clump of willow trees down there 
by the water? Well, I’m going to make those 
grow right here on this paper. Now watch.” 

Danny bent over to watch her as the willows 
grew under her skillful fingers, drawing closer 
and closer in his eagerness to see. Upon the 
grass beside her rested a glass of water with 
two or three brushes in it. Danny bent lower 
and lower, lost his balance, and tipped over. 
Away went the glass, water, brushes and all, 
and up rose Danny covered with confusion. 

Now did ye iver in yer loife see the loiks 

143 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


of me, Miss Sunshine, dear! But I didn’t 
mane to, ah, ye know that!” cried Danny. 

Of course I know that you did not mean 
to, and there is no harm done after all. Here, 
take the glass and run down close to the water 
and fill it for me, but don’t for mercy sake 
fall in.” 

Danny fled to do her bidding, and Sunshine 
went on with her work. 

Now set it right here on this little stump,” 
said Sunshine when Danny came back, “ and 
then keep this side of me, and no harm can 
come to it.” 

Danny placed the glass upon the stump as 
directed, and then settled himself to watch 
again. But sketching was quiet work, and 
Danny was lively, so not many minutes had 
passed before other matters began to claim his 
attention. Slipping away from Sunshine’s 
side, he made his way to the river’s brink and 
began to amuse himself by throwing stones 
into the water, and Sunshine promptly added 
him to her sketch. Then Danny learned a 
new trick, discovered entirely by accident, and 
this was that a flat stone hurled in a certain 
manner would skim over the surface of the 


144 


A WAm DRAWING 


water and rebound from it two or three times 
before sinking. Joy! Those stones should 
be thrown in every conceivable way. 

Away skipped the stones, and Danny’s heart 
leaped for joy with every “ skip,” until one 
luckless one flew the wrong way, for just as 
he raised his hand to hurl it with extra force, 
it slipped, flew backward instead of forward, 
and landed splash in the unfortunate glass of 
water, smashing it to atoms and splashing the 
water all over Sunshine’s clean duck skirt. 
She bounded up in time to save the sketch, and 
be greeted with Danny’s howl of contrition. 

^‘Oh dear! 0*h D-e-a-r! 0-h-h D-e-a-r-rr 
0-H! Whativer have I done at all, at all? 
Oh, Miss Sunshine, look at the dress av ye, 
I’ve sphoilt it entoirly, so I have,” and Danny 
howled louder than ever. 

“ Oh, don’t cry. Never mind, it’s only my 
skirt. You haven’t hurt the sketch at all, 
see? ” and she held it up for his inspection. 

Danny drew close and regarded the little 
drawing through his tears. So close that Sun- 
shine began to fear that he would bedew it, 
and so hastened to say : “Now run up to the 
house quickly and get me another glass so 

145 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


that I can finish this before it dries, that^s a 
good laddie,” and burning to make reparation, 
Danny rushed off. 

In a few minutes he came tearing back with 
the glass, and Sunshine settled down to finish 
her sketch. 

Resolved to do no further mischief Danny 
curled himself up beside her, and watched the 
sketch grow. Presently he asked : 

Do ye use soap whan ye wash. Miss Sun- 
shine? ” 

“ Soap! To wash what, Danny? I don’t 
know what you mean.” 

The picter. Ye said whan I axked ye that 
it was a wash drawin’ an’ that manes that ye 
kin wash it, don’t it? ” 

Sunshine tried hard not to smile as she an- 
swered : 

I don’t think you quite understood what 
I meant. I mean that I wash in the color; 
like this, you see,” and she gave him an illus- 
tration of her meaning. 

“ Oh, is that it? Now I thot it was wash- 
ing it ye meant when it got dhirty.” 

Then Danny lapsed into silence, and before 
long the drowsy, dreamy influence of the after- 
noon had its effect upon him and before he 
146 


A WASH DRAWING 


realized what had happened he had slipped 
away into a dream-land of his own. Sun- 
shine soon became wholly absorbed in her 
work, and her thoughts were traveling across 
the three hundred miles which divided her 
from the one for whom she was making the 
sketch. The river lapped along the banks just 
below her feet, birds called from the woods 
beyond, insects hummed their monotonous 
little songs and the warm afternoon sunshine 
flooded everything. Danny lay flat upon his 
back beside her, and an occasional gentle snore 
assured her that he had reached his land o^ 
peace.” She was just putting the last touches 
to her sketch, and thinking how pleased her 
mother would be with it, when a mosquito in 
quest of a dinner alighted upon Danny^s 
upturned little pug nose and proceeded to rub 
his against it. Now Danny would not have in 
the least minded rubbing noses with a horse 
or a dog, since that is their way of demonstra- 
ting their friendly feeling, but he drew the 
line at mosquitos, and with a sort of wild In- 
dian whoop, he thrashed out viciously to free 
himself of these all too friendly attentions. 

Was that glass Danny^s “ Kismet,” “ Water- 
loo ” or — what shall we say? Or was he Sun- 
147 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


shine’s? The stump with the glass of water 
upon it lay directly between them and right in 
the line of the thrashing arm. Wash drawing 
true enough ! Washed out of existence in one 
little moment! 

Danny sat up, rubbed his fists into his eyes, 
pried them open, saw the havoc he had made, 
threw his hands above his head as though 
warding off the blow which conscience told him 
was his due, and with a wild yell fied toward 
the house leaving Sunshine to gather up the 
ruin and follow. 

It was pretty hard to keep her temper under 
the circumstances, and the girl was angry, as 
well as keenly disappointed, for there was 
barely time to make another sketch before her 
mother’s birthday, and the conditions for ma- 
king this one had been particularly favorable. 

When she reached the house Danny had dis- 
appeared, and Mrs. Ellery came to ask her 
what had happened to him, for she had a fleet- 
ing glimpse of him as he fled howling into the 
barn. 

Sunshine held up the ruined sketch, and 
Mrs. Ellery exclaimed: 

Oh, what a pity after all your labor, and 
148 


A WASH DRAWING 


that little scamp did it! I’ve a great mind 
to punish him for his carelessness.” 

No, don’t! He couldn’t help it,” and then 
she related the circumstance. In the middle 
of it she began to laugh, for it was impossible 
for her to remain vexed very long. ‘‘ Oh, I 
wish you could have seen his face when he 
woke up and saw what he had done. He 
couldn’t get his eyes open for about a minute, 
and when he did, there I sat with my lap full 
of water and the drawing just swimming. He 
looked too funny for words.” 

When supper time drew near Danny, red- 
eyed and subdued, reappeared bringing with 
him something rolled up in a newspaper. 

Why where have you been, Danny? ” asked 
Mrs. Ellery. 

To Malford, up beyant, ma’am. An’ I 
bought this fer Miss Sunshine to sind to her 
mother because I spoilt her picter,” and he 
handed to Sunshine the parcel he carried. 

“ Did you walk up to Malford? ” asked Mrs. 
Ellery, as Sunshine unwrapped the parcel. 

Yis ma’am ; Me heart was bruck, so it was, 
an’ I wint to buy this fer her.” 

Sunshine had now removed the newspaper 

149 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


which protected a gorgeous lithograph such 
as are given to shopkeepers by the manufac- 
turers to advertise various articles, and a huge 
green frog was staring at her with its mon- 
strous pop eyes. He was seated upon a water- 
lily leaf, which grew in a deep ultramarine 
river, with flaring yellow lilies dotted all 
about him. In the distance was a carmine- 
cheeked maiden, rowing in a pink boat, and 
smiling sweetly at a purplish youth seated in 
the stern. Altogether the advertisement was 
a triumph as to color scheme and drawing. 
It was so x)erfectly absurd that Sunshine could 
not repress a smile, and that smile Danny 
greeted as a smile of approval for the work 
of art she held in her hands. 

Ah, ye’ll forgive me now. Miss Sunshine, 
dear. I know ye will, whin ye’re so plased 
wid the picter I brought ye fer the little wan 
I sphoilt. See what a foin hig wan it is ; twict 
the size av the little wan ye was makin’. An’ 
ye’ll sind this to yer mother, won’t ye? ” and 
poor little Danny’s eyes plead for him. 

Why of course, I shall send it to her, and 
you shall take it to the post office for me when 
I have it ready to go, and a letter to tell her 
all about it, too,” said Sunshine, really touched 
150 


A WASH DRAWING 


by the child^s earnestness. “ But how did you 
get it Danny, and who chose it for you? ” 

“ I choosed it mesilf ! ” said Danny proudly. 

I wint into the drug sthore by the station 
an’ I sez to the man, sez I : ^ How much is thim 
picters av the river an’ the boat? ’ ‘ Which 

river an’ boat? ’ sez he. ^ The wan wid the 
hop-toad in it,’ sez I. An’ then he kinder 
laughed an’ he sez : ‘ Most times we asks a dol- 
lar for thim, but to a little kid like yersilf we 
sells thim fer a cinV An’ ye know I had the 
new cint that ye give me, and, glory be to the 
Lord, I could git me picter fer ye, an’ ther 
it is now,” and Danny struck an attitude. 



XIV 

DANNY GOES A-VOYAGING 













CHAPTER XIV 


Danny Goes A- Voyaging 

S EVEN of the ten days had passed and 
no further mishaps had befallen either 
Danny or his friends. Sunshine had 
passed the time much as usual, for each day 
held some pleasant little diversion for her. 
Danny, who by this time was her sworn slave, 
followed her about like a spaniel, and no queen 
ever had a more devoted page. Her g;*acious 
acceptance of his peace-offering had com- 
pletely won his heart, and upon all occasions 
he repeated the story, embellishing it accord- 
ing to the elastic credulity of his listener. 

One morning Thorwald and Balder paid an- 
other visit, but this time the cookie crock was 
not visited. Indeed, the cookie crock had 
“ folded its tents like the Arabs, and quietly 
stolen away,” if cookie crocks may be said to 
do such poetical things. 

When the laddie arrived upon the scene, 
Mrs. Ellery said to him : 

If you will step into the kitchen you will 

155 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


find a little bag of cookies lying upon the 
shelf. They are for you, for I am sure you 
must be hungry after your long walk.” 

Thorwald regarded her steadily for a mo- 
ment with his solemn blue eyes and then said : 

“ Does that fix it all right? ” 

Fix what all right? ” asked Mrs. Ellery. 

Why, you see, I have been in an awful 
snarl about these cookies. There isn^t anyone 
else who makes them half so good as you do, 
and I’ve sort of got used to them. They agree 
well with me I think. Well, my mother asked 
me one day how I happened to get cookies 
every time I came to see you and I told her 
I asked for them, of course. And what do 
you think she said?” and he paused with a 
most injured expression. 

I can never in this world guess ; tell me 
quickly.” 

She said that if I ever asked you to give 
me another that she wouldn’t let me come to 
see you any more. Then I helped myself, and 
I guess that was worse than ever, for she 
gave me a fine larruping for it, and it sort of 
spoilt my appetite for any more,” and Thor- 
wald Christian Alexis Borgensen, Jr., care- 
fully smoothed the seat of his trousers, as 


DANNr GOES A-FOT AGING 


though something had recently caused them to 
wrinkle and grow uncomfortable to sit upon. 
“ But you see that this time I didn^t ask for 
them, and I didn’t help myself, so I suppose 
it’s all right but — ” and he stopped. 

Well?” asked Mrs. Ellery enquiringly. 
Well, if you don’t mind very much, I’d like 
you to write my name on that bag. Write it 
real plain, please, ’cause then my mother will 
see it and that will save answering questions. 
Questions are very troublesome sometimes, 
don’t you think so? ” 

Yes, extremely so,” answered Mrs. Ellery 
her eyes twinkling. 

After that Balder and his little master came 
nearly every day, and Danny found a great 
crony. 

“ Miss Sunshine, dear,” cried Danny burst- 
ing into the room where she sat with Bess and 
Mrs. Ellery, will ye come fer a row wid 
Tdirioald an’ mesilf ? ” 

For a row, Danny? Can you two boys 
row that boat? ” 

Ah, sure ! Foine ! ” 

Sunshine glanced from Mrs. Ellery to Bess, 
and then toward Danny. 

I do not feel so sure of Danny’s seaman- 

157 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


ship,” said Mrs. Ellery, ^^but Thorwald is a 
regular little viking, and paddles about at a 
great rate. Besides, there is no danger, for 
the river is as safe as can be even for a child.” 

“ Oh, I am not afraid,” said Sunshine 
quickly, “ but they seem such little chaps to 
handle Jamie^s boat.” 

“ Now, Miss Sunshine,” said Danny re- 
proachfully, “ ^fther all the muscle I’ve got 
up wid me towel-racks.” 

Oh, I will go with pleasure. When will 
you be ready? ” 

Eight now. Come wid me.” 

It was a beautiful morning, and the two 
oarsmen were in fine feather, for rowing in 
Mr. “ Jamie’s,” Mrs. Ellery’s eldest son’s, boat, 
was a great privilege, only won after much 
coaxing and the assurance that they wished 
it because it was the only boat fit to ask Sun- 
shine to row with them in. 

Sunshine was soon seated in the stern, with 
Thorwald pulling stroke oar, and Danny doing 
his level best to keep stroke well, and avoid 
catching crabs. 

We’d better go up the river first,” said 
the little Captain, “and then if we get tired we 
can come back with the tide.” 

158 


DANNT GOES A-FOTAGING 


Who’ll bring the boat thin?” asked 
Danny. 

Guess it’ll bring itself,” answered Thor- 
wald. 

Won’t it git lost? ” 

What are you trying to get at, anyhow? ” 
said the puzzled Captain. 

“ What is the tide, any ways? I thought 
mebbe it was some kind av a throlley. Is it 
the wather? ” 

They rowed for about an hour, and then 
drifted home, and Sunshine gladdened the 
hearts of her hosts by assuring them that she 
had never enjoyed herself half so much, and 
then added: 

Be very careful how you fasten up Mr. 
Jamie’s boat. You know that he is very par- 
ticular about that.” 

We’ll do it in great shape; see if we don’t,” 
said the Captain, the first mate echoing : The 
best that iver was.” 

Two or three boats were made fast to the 
little landing-stage at the foot of Mrs. Ellery’s 
land, and bobbed up and down upon the tide. 
Thorwald fastened the one they had been 
using and then said to Danny: 

I’m going up to the house to get the bag 

IS9 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


of cookies Mrs. Ellery keeps for me, and don’t 
you monkey with those boats any more, will 
you? You see I’m sort of responsible for this 
one we’ve been using, and I don’t want to 
get into any mess, or we won’t get it again.” 

No, I’ll not bother it. I’m going to sit 
in this one and see if I can catch some fish 
for dinner.” 

Kubbish ! ” was the contemptuous retort. 
“ You won’t catch a thing in this little cove. 
Sometimes they catch them out where the 
water is deep, but the fish don’t bite in here.” 

Nevertheless, Danny resolved to try, so 
cutting a willow pole, he bent a pin, 
fastened a long string to it, and made it fast 
to the end of his rod. Then digging out some 
luckless worms he set about wooing the finny 
victim. Now Danny’s shining virtue was not 
patience, and he had not sat long in the stern 
of the boat when he began to suspect that 
Thorwald’s knowledge concerning the ways 
and habits of fish was perhaps a trifle more 
to be relied upon than his own, where the 
wish had been father to the thought.” He 
twisted and squirmed about; fussed and fidg- 
eted until even the most foolhardy fish must 
have taken warning and fled. 

i6o 


DANNr GOES A-FOTAGING 


It was out yonder he said the fish would 
bite, an’ if I could git there I’d soon be gettin’ 
a foin mess fer Mrs. Ellery. Can I do it, I 
dunno.” He looked all about him for ways 
and means, and at last discovered a coil of 
rope lying upon the landing stage. Provi- 
dence had doubtless placed it there, and it 
was not long before Danny had lengthened 
out the painter, by tying to it the rope he had 
discovered. But Danny had yet to discover 
that a little learning is a dangerous thing,” 
and that he was still very much of a novice 
in the ways of rivers, tides, bowline knots, etc. 
He had a good supply of worms and his hopes 
ran high; his faith in the rope which bound 
him to the shore being strong. Up and down 
bobbed the boat upon the water, and up and 
down bobbed Danny’s rod, and with every bob 
he was sure of a fish at the other end. But 
the fish evidently had other concerns to look 
after, and in the course of an hour the gentle 
motion of the boat had a very soothing effect 
upon Danny. His head began to nod as the 
boat did, and the rod nodded too. Pretty soon 
it slipped from his hands, and like the Quaker’s 
suit of gray, went quietly sailing away, 
away,” but Danny was past caring. Mean- 
161 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


while the tide ran stronger and stronger, and 
the boat tugged harder and harder at the rope 
which held it. Gradually the “ land-lubber’s ” 
knot gave up the struggle, and Danny went 
floating away, away ” too. 

Thorwald had tarried to lighten his bag 
of some of the cookies, and to have a little 
chat with his friends before starting for home, 
and when he was ready to go Balder was miss- 
ing. Balder had remained with Bess and 
Mrs. Ellery to await his little master’s return, 
and had welcomed him with rapture. But 
now he was nowhere to be found, and Thor- 
wald called to him in vain. 

“ Maybe he has gone down to the dock to 
stay with Danny,” he said. 

Where is Danny?” asked Mrs. Ellery. 

He said that he was going to stay down 
in the boat and flsh, and he expects to get 
about a hundred for dinner, I guess,” an- 
swered Thorwald derisively. 

He shouldn’t have stayed in the boat,” 
said Mrs. Ellery with some concern, for he is 
forever getting into trouble and might fall 
overboard. I don’t know that it would harm 
him much, but I’d just a little rather have him 
^ right side up with care,’ ” and Mrs. Ellery 
162 


DANNT GOES A-VOTAGING 


laughed as she recalled all that had happened 
to Danny within one brief week. 

1^11 run down to see if Balder is there and 
I’ll tell him to come up,” said Thorwald, leav- 
ing Mrs. Ellery in blissful ignorance as to 
whether he intended sending Balder or Danny 
to her. 

He had not been gone five minutes when 
they saw him come tearing up the path, gestic- 
ulating and shouting, and evidently wildly 
excited about something. As he drew near 
and they could distinguish his words they 
heard: 

He’s gone ! She’s broke loose ! It’s hang- 
ing in the river ! He ain’t anywhere in sight ! ” 

‘^What do you mean?” demanded Bess, 
who had run down to meet the excited boy. 
Mrs. Ellery and Sunshine were close behind 
her, and Mrs. Ellery laid her hand upon his 
arm as she said: 

Get your breath Thorwald, and then tell 
me what has happened. Has Balder disap- 
peared? ” 

“No, No! Danny and the boat and all! 
He must have done something with the long 
rope that Mr. Jamie keeps on the landing, for 
it is hanging way out in the water. I bet a 
163 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


dollar he tied the painter fast to it so as to 
get out where the water was deeper, ’cause I 
told him that fish wouldn’t bite in the cove 
here,” said Thorwald pointing to the rope 
which was dangling in the water and floating 
out with the tide, for all had hastened down to 
the river. 

What upon earth shall we do, and what 
can have become of him ! ” cried Mrs. Ellery 
in dismay. He surely cannot have fallen 
overboard, but must be floating toward Boston 
Harbor as fast as the tide will carry him. 
Mercy upon us, why did I ever assume the 
responsibility of that little imp’s life and limb? 
I shall have white hair before the ten days 
end. Bess, you get into the boat and row 
down the river, while Sunshine runs up to 
ask Mr. Davis to harness Jerusha and drive 
along the river bank. Thorwald and I will 
stay here to look after things.” 

Bess was soon skimming over the water, 
and Sunshine speeding toward the house. 
But as ill luck would have it, Mr. Davis had 
gone to Malford, and would be absent all day. 

“ Did he take Jerusha? ” asked Sunshine. 

“ No,” answered Mrs. Davis, “ he went with 
Mr. Lester.” 




164 


DANNT GOES A-FOTAGING 


“ Then may I take Jerusha? ” 

Certainly, if you can harness her.” 

I can do that easily enough,” replied Sun- 
shine as she ran toward the barn, and a mo- 
ment later Jerusha was being put into the 
shafts by a very dainty little groom, and be- 
fore her sedate mind could grasp what was 
happening she was trotting down the river 
road at a brisk pace. 



XV 

BALDER PROVES HIMSELF 
A HERO 



CHAPTER XV 


Balder Proves Himself a Hero 

F or nearly two miles below Meadington 
the road ran close to the river bank, 
only occasionally curving from it 
where the banks rose a little higher, or the 
willows grew close to its edge. Sunshine had 
gone very nearly a mile along the way, stop- 
ping every now and again to look sharply 
along the shore for any trace of the missing 
boat, when far ahead of her upon the road she 
spied a dog, which, even from that distance, 
seemed to be acting in a strange manner. In 
an instant she concluded that the dog must be 
Balder, and she urged Jerusha forward at a 
rate which scandalized that old lady. 

Balder ! Balder ! ” she called as she drew 
near, and the big dog came bounding toward 
her, giving short, sharp barks, and then 
stopped to look down toward the river and run 
back a little way. 

Sunshine drove close to the bank, but could 
169 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


see nothing to excite the dog, and was about 
to drive on when Balder sprang up and caught 
Jerusha’s rein in his teeth, thereby so start- 
ling her that she nearly sat upon her haunches. 

What is it. Balder? What do you want, 
old dog? asked Sunshine springing out of the 
carryall. Balder was evidently satisfied with 
his manoeuvre, for he at once let go of Jerusha, 
who gave her head a spiteful shake or two, as 
though to say : Such insolence from such a 
small thing as a dog’’ and coming up to Sun- 
shine looked into her face with eyes that very 
nearly spoke. “ Yes, I’ll go with you just as 
quickly as ever I can, but you must let me 
tie Jerusha, or she may think we don’t want 
her to wait for us. Now what do you want? ” 
Balder gave a succession of barks and then 
went bounding toward a clump of willows 
which grew upon a point running far out into 
the river. Sunshine ran after him, and as she 
turned the point discovered what was causing 
his excitement. Just below that point of land 
the river made a sharp turn, and the sand had 
been washed into a sort of bar. At high tide 
the water was over a man’s head, but at low 
water not more than three or four feet deep. 
Very often this bar served as a barrier to check 
170 


BALDER PROVES A HERO 


anything floating down stream, and all sorts 
of flotsam found temporary anchorage there, 
until high water again released it and sent it 
upon its way. 

Just now it was about half low water, and 
the tide was racing toward the bay. Held fast 
by an old tree which had come to an untimely 
end in the river was Jamie^s boat, dancing 
upon the waves, and tugging at the painter 
which had become entangled in the branches. 
How long it could hold seemed doubtful, and 
the moment it freed itself, away it would go 
toward the bay. Nodding upon the gunwale 
with every rise and fall of the boat, was Daniel 
Maloney’s little red head, and the only wonder 
was that it did not nod once too often and roll 
off into the water. How Danny could sleep 
with his head wagging about in that uncom- 
fortable position, I will leave some one who 
has seen the manner in which some forlorn 
mites are obliged to sleep, to answer. 

Sunshine clasped her hands together in 
something very close to despair, for how in 
the world to reach the boy she did not know. 
To go back for help would be worse than use- 
less, for she was sure that the boat would free 
itself before she could get assistance. Oh, 
171 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Balder, Balder, what shall we do? ” she cried, 
and Balder tried to answer. 

Looking at her with his wonderfully intel- 
ligent eyes for just a second, he gave a loud 
bark and plunged into the river. It may have 
been his bark, or Danny’s siesta may have 
come to an end just at that moment. What- 
ever it was, the nodding head ceased nodding, 
and began to rear itself up into the position 
that nature has decreed the human head shall 
be held. Had the up-rearing been confined to 
the head, all would have gone well, but 
Danny’s wits were frightened completely out 
of him by what his blinking eyes beheld, and 
up he bounced and began to yell like an In- 
dian. 

Sit still ; Sit still ! ” called Sunshine. 

Sit right down in the boat and Balder will 
bring you ashore.” 

Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! I’m drowned entoirely, 
so I am,” wailed Danny. 

No you won’t be if you will only keep still. 
Balder knows what to do. O, do be quiet ! ” 
as Danny began to sway up and down and 
wring his hands. 

Oh, why did I come! Why did I come, at 
172 


BALDER PROVES A HERO 


all? ” was wailed across the water. Oh, the 
saints have mercy upon me, but I^m lost alto- 
gither.’’ 

Danny mil you stop screaming and listen 
to what I^m saying?” demanded Sunshine, 
feeling that she would like to shake the luck- 
less Danny. 

“ Take hold of the painter and when Balder 
gets close to you show it to him, and he will 
take it in his mouth and swim ashore.” 

“ Sure what is a painter? There’s none in 
the booat,” sobbed Danny, looking all around 
him as though in quest of some sort of a 
brush. 

“ Yes there is ! It is the rope that has 
caught in the tree. Pull it loose and give it 
to Balder. See he is waiting for you to tell 
him what to do,” she cried as the great dog 
swam up to the boat. 

Oh, is it that ye mane? ” cried Danny, 
scrambling toward the bow of the boat, re- 
gardless of the center of gravity, and causing 
Sunshine’s heart to stand still as it keeled 
dangerously to one side. But all Danny’s 
thoughts were upon getting that rope in the 
dog’s mouth, for he, at least, was some sort of 

173 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


a tie between the boat and dry land, which 
Danny wished with a mighty wish to tread 
upon once more. 

“ Be careful, oh, be careful ! ” screamed 
Sunshine, but the warning came too late. 
Danny lurched forward with the rope in his 
hand, the boat gave a sudden swerve, and 
head-first into the water went its terrified oc- 
cupant. The scream which Sunshine gave 
was drowned by Danny’s howl of despair as 
he disappeared under the water. But he had 
a noble protector close at hand, and before 
he had swallowed more water than would serve 
as a wholesome lesson to him. Balder had him 
by his coat collar and was swimming toward 
the shore with strong, powerful strokes. But 
Danny was too frightened to let well enough 
alone, and kept struggling and thrashing 
about until Balder’s patience gave out, and as 
he came into shallow water he deliberately 
shook his charge until he had nearly shaken 
the breath out of him, and then soused him 
just once under water, as though to say: 
“ There, you little fool, tvill you keep still and 
let me manage this job? ” 

But Danny was not a particle hurt, and 
dropping him upon the grass Balder gave him- 

174 



“ HEADFIRST INTO THE WATER WENT THE BOAT’s OCCUPANT.” 

Page 174 






BALDER PROVES A HERO 


self a good shake, and then came to offer his 
services again if they were needed. 

Danny promptly recovered when he found 
himself upon terra firma, and began to pour 
forth a volley of thanks and praises for his 
rescue, Sunshine meantime hurrying him to- 
ward the carryall, and Balder rushing on 
ahead to announce the good tidings to Jerusha. 
But Jerusha didn^t care a cent,” apparently, 
and was far more anxious to go home than to 
learn whether some simpleton of a boy had 
tipped himself into the river and been fished 
out by a dog whichh took liberties with horses. 

Sunshine took from the carryall the blanket 
which lay upon the seat and bidding Danny 
stand still rolled it well about him, saying: 

Now stand there and drip a minute, for 
I don’t want to put you into the carryall so 
sopping wet,” and then rolled up the piece of 
carpet which lay upon the floor, lest Abiah be 
thrown into a state of mind by finding things 
in a mess. Having got things in shape for 
Danny’s reception, she squatted him in a little 
heap upon the bottom of the carryall, and then 
started for home and friends ” as fast as she 
could go. 

Meanwhile Mrs. Ellery was in a great state 

175 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


of excitement, for hardly had Sunshine and 
her charge vanished behind the willows than 
Bess came upon the empty boat. There was 
no sign of living thing in sight, and Bess’s 
heart failed her as she made the boat fast to 
the one she was in and began her pull against 
tide at a rate which might hawe put a Harvard 
man to shame. It was barely half a mile as 
she went, but much nearer a mile and a half 
as Sunshine had to drive, so Bess and her 
boat claimed all the excitement until Sunshine 
appeared with Balder hurrying on ahead as a 
herald of the good news. Danny had perked 
up amazingly during the journey home, and 
the first thing Mrs. Ellery heard was : 

“ Glory be ! Glory be ! Mrs. Ellery, dear, 
but I’m brought back alive, so I am ! ” as 
Danny’s red head bobbed up from the blanket. 

“ Daniel Maloney,” said Mrs. Ellery an hour 
later, when that young man had been thor- 
oughly dried and fed, Will you please tell 
me if there is any other possible way in which 
you can try suicide? I’d like to be upon my 
guard.” 

Three days later Daniel was escorted home. 
Sunshine accompanying Mrs. Ellery. When 
they reached Mary’s, Sunshine said : 

176 


0 


BALDER PROVES A HERO 


Now Mary, I want you to let me take all 
the children with me to Brown and White’s 
to have some ice-cream, for I shall not be here 
very much longer and may not have another 
chance.” 

The foive av thim ! ” cried Mary aghast. 

Yes, every one,” laughed Sunshine. 

Ah, sure, ye couldn’t take Patsy. He’s too 
little. But the ithers kin go wid ye, dear, an’ 
be thankful. Come on, now till I git yees 
ready to go wid this kind lady,” cried Mary to 
her progeny. “ Now Danny, ye have no right 
to be goin’ at all, for it’s tin whole days trate 
ye’ve had already.” 

Oh, he must come to help take care of the 
others,” said Sunshine diplomatically. I 
could never in this world get on without his 
help.” 

‘‘ There now, do ye moind ! Miss Sun- 
shine nades me,” cried Danny, never more 
ready to be of service. 

Well begin being useful right arf thin, an’ 
take Johnny there an’ wash his face. An’ 
moind ye look into his ears! None of yer 
slaps round wid yer rag, and a lick an’ a 
promise. And Nelly do you take Katie in the 
front room an’ put on clane stockin’s; there 
177 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


mayn’t be two mates, but git clane wans any- 
ways. An’ pull that feather off me hat an’ 
let her wear that. It’ll look like a sailor. 
An’ moind now, Katie, if I hear ye yellin’ ye’ll 
not go outside the door.” 

After much ordering and directing, the Ma- 
loneys were at last made presentable and Sun- 
shine marshaled them in line before her. 
Four of them, Danny, Nelly, John and Kitty. 

“ Good-by, now we are off,” she said merrily, 
as she started down stairs with her dock in 
front of her. The great department store for 
which she was bound was but a short walk 
from Mary’s tenement, and placing the chil- 
dren two and two in front of her she headed 
them toward it. 


XVI 

“UP JENKINS! DOWN JEN- 
KINS! ” 


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CHAPTEE XVI 


'■^Up yen kins! Down yenkins!" 

tt'TWTOW tell me which kinds of ice- 
cream you like best,” said Sun- 
shine when she had her charges at 
last settled at a table in the restaurant of 
the big department store on Tremont Street. 

I want pink, please Miss Sunshine. I had 
it onct to a picnic, an’ I can feel the taste of it 
yet,” cried Nellie. 

‘‘Ah, ’taint half so good as the mud color 
ice-cream I had that day. I squashed mine all 
up in the plate and made my spoon walk troo 
it an’ made b’live it was a man a-walkin’ in 
the mud. Say, Miss Sunshine kin I have that 
kind?” demanded Danny. 

“ Gee ! are yer goin’ ter give us all colors fer 
our own?” cried Johnny, who could not be- 
lieve that such riches were really in store for 
him. “ Say, Miss Sunshine, / wants blue! 
Kin I have that? ” 

i8i 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


You may have green, if that will do, 
but I don’t think they make any blue ice 
cream.” 

“ I wants the whole lot of them,” piped up 
Kitty, bound not to be outdone by the others. 

Oh, what a pig ! ” burst out Nelly. Don’t 
yer give them to her Miss Sunshine, an’ don’t 
yer moind her. She’s too little ter have 
sinse,” was the apology offered for Kitty’s 
want of manners. 

Oh, yes she may have it that way if she 
wants to, and I shall have an orange ice,” said 
Sunshine turning to the amused waiter who 
had not been slow to take in the state of 
things, and had manifested the greatest pa- 
tience while receiving his order. 

Very well, ma’am,” he answered. ‘^Then 
it is to be one strawberry, one chocolate, one 
pistachio, one Neapolitan and one orange 
ice? ” 

Yes.” 

“ Kin yer remember thim all fer sure? ” de- 
manded Danny, fearful that so great a bless- 
ing as this might slip through his fingers ere 
it could be grasped. 

Sure,” answered the waiter with a laugh. 
But Danny still felt some misgivings, and 
A 182 


JENKINS I DOWNJENKINS^^ 


while Sunshine was for a moment occupied 
with Kitty, who had a tendency to slide off 
her chair and disappear beneath the table, he 
took advantage of it to slip out of his chair 
and follow the man. The waiter was just dis- 
appearing behind the screen which hid the 

base of supplies when his jacket was 
tweaked from behind, and a voice whispered : 
“ Say, yer won’t fergit that I want mud color, 
will yer? ” 

When the ice cream had trickled down by 
slow degrees, in order to lengthen out the 
bliss, Sunshine took her charges about the 
store, letting them stop to look at and admire 
any article which pleased their fancy. 

Now we will go up to the toy department, 
and I will get you each some little present to 
remember me by when I am far away in New 
York,” she said, when they had looked their 
fill at the many things to be seen upon the 
main floor, and she felt that it was high time 
to remove them from temptation, for had she 
possessed eyes in the back of her head as well 
as in the front, she would scarcely have been 
able to guard against the unwritten rule of the 
big department stores : Touch not, taste 

not, handle not.” 


183 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


A sure ’nough present that we kin keep? ’’ 
asked Nelly. 

“ Yes, a sure enough one to keep,’^ echoed 
Sunshine. 

They made their way to the center of 
the building where an Escalade led to the 
floor above; one running up and one coming 
down. 

^‘Yah! Hi! Yah!” yelled Johnny, who 
hapened to be a little in advance of the others, 

De stairs is all runnin’ away ! Quick ! 
Quick ! Miss Sunshine catch ’em ! Catch ’em, 
or we won’t git no presents ! ” and he made a 
dash forward, just as Sunshine grasped him in 
the rear. 

Now Johnny, be quiet. The stairs are 
not going to run away at all. Don’t you see 
that more come as fast as the others go up? ” 

Johnny stuck his Anger in his mouth and 
regarded the mysterious stairway without an- 
other word. 

Now do just as I tell you and you shall 
have a flne ride on this queer stairway,” said 
Sunshine. Let Kitty step on first, Nelly 
and you step on right behind her, then Johnny 
and then Danny, and every one of you hold 
fast to the railing. Step off carefully when 
184 


JENKINS! DOWNJENKINS^^ 


you get to the top and nothing can hurt you. 
I shall be right behind you.” 

Yis marm,” was answered in a chorus, but 
Sunshine was not wholly reassured, for rather 
vacant expressions had settled upon the faces 
of the four. However, they were under way, 
and there was no such thing as backing out 
now. Tip, up rose the Escalade, and up, up 
rose its burden. Other passengers had step- 
ped upon it behind Sunshine and her flock, 
although quite a little space divided them. 
Kitty was hanging on to the railing with both 
hands, Nelly had one hand on that and the 
other on Kitty^s shoulder; Johnny was staring 
straight in front of him with eyes that fairly 
popped out of their sockets, and Danny, the 
man of the party, who should have been their 
guide, philosopher and friend ” turned trai- 
tor at the last moment and followed the ex- 
ample of Lot’s wife. There were two or three 
steps between him and Sunshine, and she tried 
to avert the catastrophe which she saw was 
impending by speaking sharply to him and 
reaching forward to give him a little shake to 
make him pay attention, but that Escalade 
was no respecter of time or persons, and the 
next second Jenkins began to go down. 
i8S 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


When the top was reached Kitty was too 
terrified to let go the railing, and as a result 
of clinging fast to something which continued 
to move, was laid gently upon the floor at the 
top of the flight. Nelly was too close upon 
her to have time to step to one side even had 
she thought to do so, which she probably would 
not, and she was laid upon the top of Kitty. 
Johnny reached out his hands to save her and 
promptly added his manly form to the heap 
which was growing with such marvelous 
rapidity that it threatened to reach the ceiling 
if it kept on. Then came the result of 
Danny’s one look behind, and he turned 
around in time to give one of Danny’s own 
yells and sprawl over the other three. That 
Sunshine must add her own form to the pile 
seemed inevitable, for those remorseless steps, 
like the Juggernaut car, continued to pile up 
their victims. As the steps continued to as- 
cend Sunshine kept stepping backward in the 
hope that the wriggling, squirming, squealing 
pile at the head of the stairway would, at 
least, wriggle itself out of her only pathway 
of escape, but back any further she simply 
could not, for she had by this time backed 
into the people behind her, who becoming 

i86 


<^UP JENKINS! DOWN JENKINS'^ 


aware of the pyramid formed in front of them, 
were now holding back against the railing, as 
though that, which was, of course, going at 
the same rate of speed as the steps, could pre- 
vent the overthrow awaiting them at the top. 
But by this time the clerks upon the second 
floor had become aware of what had hap- 
pened, and hastening to the rescue of the un- 
fortunates, began hauling out the little 
Maloneys as fast as they could for laughing. 

When solid ground was beneath them the 
youngsters once more plucked up courage 
and made a wild rush for the toy department 
which loomed like the promised land at the 
opposite end of the building, and where they 
were made jubilant over the selecting and 
carrying away of several of the little doo dads 
which will gladden children's hearts as long as 
children live. 

“ Well, I believe that I am as tired as 
though I had taken a regiment out for an air- 
ing,” said Sunshine laughing, when they were 
at last in the train and speeding upon their 
homeward way. I declare, I never came 
across such lively children. Mary must 
have her hands full. Cousin Elizabeth.” 

And yet she would marry that man,” ex- 
187 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


claimed Mrs. Ellery, with much feeling, for 
Mary had been a very faithful woman in her 
service, and she felt that her lot should have 
been a happier one than it was. 

When they reached home they found Bess 
in a great state of excitement over a box which 
had arrived for Sunshine during their absence. 

It is from Papa, I am sure,” said Sun- 
shine. “ I thought he could not stand it very 
much longer without sending me something. 
He has an idea that he is not doing his duty to 
me, I believe, if he does not bring me some- 
thing about once a week when I am at home, 
and now he has sent this box to show me that 
I am not forgotten. Dear old Daddykins, how 
I should love to see him this minute.” 

“ Now you mustn’t let this box make you 
home-sick,” cried Bess, “ for we just can’t let 
you go before the first week in October, you 
know.” 

Oh, I am not homesick,” answered Sun- 
shine brightly, “ and I want to stay just as 
much as you want to have me, only, well — he 
is a pretty nice sort of Daddy to have, you 
see.” 

The box was at length opened, and gave 
forth its treasures. 


i88 


UP JENKINS ! DOWN JENKINS " 


Now will you look at this quantity, Bess 
Ellery! How upon earth are we ever to dis- 
pose of it all, I’d like to know,” she asked as 
she lifted out a great box of Huyler’s bonbons, 
candied fruit, and fresh fruits of every sort in 
season. I tell you what we will do! We 
will ask all the girls and boys over this eve- 
ning, have a moon-light row, without Danny, 
and when we come home have a spread, just as 
we sometimes have at school. You come too, 
Cousin Elizabeth, for it won’t be half fun 
without you. I’ll run over right away to ask 
the girls, and tell them to ask the boys when 
they get home. We’ll have a gay time. I 
hope that Jamie and Bob will come out early.” 

You would do well to hide away your box, 
then if you hope to have any sweets left for 
your treat,” warned Mrs. Ellery. Jamie 
was born with two, instead of one sweet- 
tooth.” 

“ I’ll trust him,” answered Sunshine as she 
went bounding off to invite her friends to 
come and share her goodies, for in her estima- 
tion they would have lost their flavor unless 
shared with all she knew. 


189 


XVII 

THE VOLCANO BURSTS 



CHAPTER XVII 


The V ilcano Bursts 

M ore than a month had passed since 
her arrival, and still Sunshine, 
surrounded by the happy atmos- 
phere of her own unconscious creating, 
brought joy wherever she came. Thus far she 
had never witnessed one of Abiah^s “violent 
eruptions,’^ as Mrs. Ellery called them. True, 
he had often snapped and snarled, but the girl 
blissfully unaware that anyone could be dis- 
agreeable simply for the sake of being so, had 
apparently not given the slightest heed to his 
sharp Tvords, accepting them more as a pe- 
culiarity of Abiah’s speech than downright 
“ crankiness.’^ She had been with him a great 
deal, driving all about the beautiful country, 
and almost always accompanied by some of 
her young friends, or Bess, for Abiah always 
urged her to invite all the carryall would hold. 
Once, marvel of marvels, Hannah had accom- 
panied them too. 


193 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


It seemed to Mrs. Ellery, who was standing 
in the Davis’ kitchen when Hannah was in- 
vited to make one of the party, that she must 
scream aloud with laughter, the invitation was 
so entirely characteristic and comical. 

Upon the morning in question Bess and 
Eloise had sat sewing upon their piazza when 
Abiah came around the corner, and with a 
nod, addressed Eloise in the third person ; his 
habit when desirous of being especially cere- 
monious. 

How would Pieter like ter drive out ter 
Swampscot terday? S’pose we make a day 
on it, and take along our lunch? She may in- 
vite Bess too if she wants ter,” with a con- 
descending nod at that young lady. 

Eloise bounded up saying: 

How lovely ! Yes, of course we will go, 
and thank you ever so much for asking us, 
don’t we Bess? And we’ll ask Mrs. Davis 
too! Now is just our chance, for if we take 
our luncheon she will not have any dinner to 
prepare, and so won’t have a sign of an ex- 
cuse for saying no. You come and ask her 
too,” and running toward him before he had 
time to utter one word of protest, she took 
194 


THE VOLCANO BURSTS 


hold of his hand and led him toward his own 
house. 

Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Ellery were talking 
when Sunshine entered the kitchen with Abiah 
in tow. 

Oh, Mrs. Davis, what do you think ! We 
are going to drive to Swampscot, Bess, Mr. 
Davis and I, and we are to take our luncheon 
and stay all day, and we have come to coax 
you to go too. Do say yes this time, for you 
have never gone with us yet, and Mr. Davis 
wants you to go just dreadfully, don’t you? ” 
turning to Abiah, who felt about as comfort- 
able as he would have done had half a dozen 
plump caterpillars been parading up and down 
his spine. 

Lor yes ; Lor yes ; Certain ; Certain ; Come 
along, Hannah ; Come along. Pieter wants it, 
and gosh darn it, and if the old boy himself 
can stand up and say no ter her, I can’t, and 
I’m goin’ out ter clean Jerusha’s harness!” 
and he bolted through the door. And Han- 
nah went. 

And so he had grown to love her, and she 
had laughed and sung herself straight into his 
crabbed old heart, and could do more with 

195 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


him, without in the least realizing that she 
was doing, than any mortal being with whom 
he came in contact, and he, in turn, had al- 
ways managed to keep the slumbering volcano 
under control when in her presence. 

But an upheaval came a few days later, and 
the result left one marveling as to the ultimate 
outcome. 

September was well advanced, and the 
nights had begun to gro>f chilly. Hannah’s 
evening pilgrimages were now made before 
tea, as the sunset hour came too early for her 
to go afterward. Soon after Eloise came to 
Meadington, Mrs. Ellery told her of Hannah’s 
devotion to the little daughter whom she had 
lost so many years before, and the girl’s sym- 
pathetic heart had been deeply touched by the 
pathetic little story. Evening after evening 
she had watched Hannah walk toward the 
cemetery, and had rarely failed to walk a short 
way up the road to meet her upon her return. 
Not a word had ever been spoken regarding 
Hannah’s errand, but Sunshine would slip her 
arm about the older woman’s waist and walk 
back home with her, where, with a tender 
good-night kiss upon the soft cheek, she would 
196 


THE VOLCANO BURSTS 


leave her and trip back to Mrs. Ellery^s, there 
to meet a number of young friends and pass 
a merry evening. 

One evening, just before she started for her 
walk, Hannah saw Eloise in Mrs. Ellery’s 
garden gathering some white asters, and a 
moment later she came through the little gate 
and entered Hannah’s kitchen, saying in her 
sweet, musical voice: 

Please give them to her with my love,” as 
though Jenny were a living presence. 

“ Thank you, dear,” said Hannah, and then 
added with a strange abruptness for her, “ but 
won’t you carry them yourself? ” 

May I? Would you like to have me go? ” 

“ Yes. Come.” 

They were just ready to start when Abiah 
came in from the barn. He carried Jerusha’s 
blanket, which was literally in two pieces, for 
in some unaccountable way, the usually staid 
Jerusha had split it straight up the back. 
Whether it was this which had so angered 
him, or the sight of Hannah just starting upon 
the errand which always irritated him, it would 
be hard to say, but the volcano burst forth all 
the more violently for having slumbered so 
197 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


long, and the torrent came near destroying his 
peace of mind forever. 

Here,” he snapped, “ Jerusha has torn her 
blanket to smithereens, and I want yer ter 
mend it,” and he cast it in a heap upon the 
table. 

a Very well, I will mend it this evening for 
you,” answered Hannah as she picked up her 
little basket of flowers. 

I want it done right now. It’ll be pitch 
dark this evenin’, and once I’ve shet the barn 
I ain’t goin’ out again.” 

I am sorry that I cannot do it just this 
moment, but we are just going out. We will 
be back in less than half an hour.” 

‘‘Goin’ out! Goin’ out! Well s’ pose you 
go in then. I don’t care a cent where ye be 
a-goin’ to, and I want this ’ere blanket mended 
right now. Be ye a-goin’ ter do it? ” 

By this time Sunshine began to see that 
Abiah was not amiable, and stood looking at 
him with her big eyes wide open in surprise. 
Hannah noted the look, and tried to avoid the 
inevitable climax by speaking even more 
quietly than usual as she moved toward the 
door. Had Abiah been equally observing he 
198 


THE VOLCANO BURSTS 


might possibly have saved himself his coming 
humiliation, but he was too enraged to see or 
note anything. 

Springing between Hannah and the door, 
and stamping with rage, he shook his fist al- 
most in her face crying: 

“ I say that you shall mend it now! Yes, 
right now! I ain’t goin’ ter wait till ye come 
back from yer old cimitry, where ye go a- 
mopin’ and a-mewlin’ every blessed night! If 
ye’d a-taken decent care of Jinny she wouldn’t 
never a-died, and now she’s dead and gone, 
ye take a pleasure in a-makin’ me think of her 
the whole endurin’ time, when thinkin’ ain’t 
never a-goin’ ter bring her back. Confound 
yer old flowers! Gosh darn ’em, take that 
fer ’em ! ” and down came his hand upon the 
little basket which was struck from Hannah’s 
grasp, and a second later was being trampled 
under his feet. 

Ah! Abiah, your foot-falls are trampling 
something beside the inoffensive flowers. A 
pure young human heart is being wounded by 
every step you take. 

Hannah stood aghast, but before she could 
speak, an avenger had arisen, and a firm pair 
199 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


of hands had grasped Abiah by both arms and 
he was being forced by an irresistible strength 
against the wall and held there while a pair 
of blazing eyes were looking into his as though 
they would look into his very soul, and a clear 
ringing voice was demanding: 

“ How dare you, oh ! how dare you? Think 
what you have said! What do you suppose 
God thinks when you speak like that of the 
place where his children are sleeping? And 
don’t you know that Jenny hears all you are 
saying? Don’t you understand that if she 
could speak to you as I am speaking that she 
would stop you before you could say one 
more cruel word to her mother? How can 
you, oh! how can you? And I had grown to 
love you so dearly. You have nearly broken my 
heart ! ” and with a storm of sobs Sunshine 
loosened her hold upon his arm and fled from 
the house. 

The flowers she had carried fell at Abiah’s 
feet and lay there a mute reproach for the 
miserable man. Hannah left the room. 

Stooping down he picked up the pure blos- 
soms, fitting emblem of their late owner, and 
walking across the room laid them upon the 
table. Then impulsively gathered them up 


200 


THE VOLCANO BURSTS 


again and kissed them repeatedly, and drop- 
ping upon his knees beside the table, he 
buried his face in their soft petals, crying: 

Lord-a-mighty, forgive me for her sake ! 
Lord-a-mighty, forgive me for her sake.” 


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XVIII 


«LET US FORGIVE AND 
FORGET” 


I 


I 



V. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


^^Let us Forgive and Forget” 

M eantime Sunshine had fled to the 
refuge of her own room, and there 
Mrs. Ellery found her when tea- 
time came. But nothing would induce her to 
tell what had happened. All she would say 
was : 

“ Oh, it is too dreadful to talk about. 
Don’t ask me, please.” 

“ Did Mr. Davis say anything to you, my 
darling? ” persisted Mrs. Ellery, filled with 
indignant apprehension of what Abiah might 
have said to her pet in a sudden accession of 
rage. 

“No, no; Not to me, but to Mrs. Davis! 
And such dreadful things that I can’t talk 
about them.” 

It was many days before she could be pre- 
vailed upon to see him. Again and again he 
had come to the back porch to ask for “ Pie- 
ter,” but each time she had begged so hard not 
to be compelled to see him that Mrs. Ellery 
205 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


had not the heart to force matters, and utterly 
miserable, Abiah was obliged to go his way. 

About a week later she went with Hannah 
to the Cemetery. It was one of those balmy 
evenings which often come to us late in Sep- 
tember. They had been sitting quietly be- 
side Jenny’s grave and for some time neither 
had spoken. Presently Sunshine said: 

“ Tell me more about Jenny, please Mrs. 
Davis. I know so little of her really.” 

‘‘ I fear there is little to tell that would in- 
terest you, dear. She was just a little country 
girl, and did not know life as you know it, 
or find in it so many beautiful things. But 
she was always happy and sweet tempered, 
and seemed to find something to love wherever 
she went. I never knew her to fret about any- 
thing. You make me think of her almost 
hourly, although she was not so beautiful as 
you are and did not have your advantages,” 
and Hannah smoothed back the soft hair from 
the sweet young face looking at her so in- 
tently. 

“ I’m afraid that I’m not like Jenny.” Then, 
after a pause : Mrs. Davis, I don’t know what 
made me act so the other evening. I did not 
206 


FORGIVE AND FORGET 


mean to be so rude to Mr. Davis, but some- 
thing beyond me, beyond my power to control, 
seemed to force me on. Please forgive me, 
for I am sorry that I did anything to grieve 
you.” 

‘‘ I have nothing to forgive, dear. It was 
all very unfortunate, and I hope that you will 
try to forget it.” 

I will try to as soon as I have apologized to 
Mr. Davis,” with a sigh as though the ordeal 
were one toward which she had been bracing 
her courage ever since that miserable night. 

Hannah almost started as she looked at the 
girl, who was now resting her cheek upon her 
hand and looking off toward the setting sun. 

“ It is growing late, dear. We must re- 
turn,” was all Hannah said. 

As they walked back in the fast gathering 
twilight they saw Abiah returning from his 
barns. The old man looked bowed and 
troubled and walked with his head bent as 
though in deep thought. As they drew near, 
Eloise seemed to gather herself together as one 
does when forced to make some strong physi- 
cal exertion, and turning to Mrs. Davis she 
said: 

I think that I will speak to him at once,” 
207 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


and turning from the road she started across 
the meadows. Abiah was so absorbed in his 
own thoughts that he failed to hear her ap- 
proaching steps, and did not suspect her pres- 
ence until she said, as she extended a trem- 
bling hand : 

Mr. Davis, I have come to ask you to for- 
give me for being so very rude to you a few 
nights ago.” 

Abiah started as though he had received a 
blow, and burst out: 

YouVe come ter ask me ter forgive you! 

Gosh da , there, there, I didn’t mean that, 

— why what in tarnation have I got ter for- 
give? Didn’t I act like a blamed idjeet, if I 
didn’t give a pretty fair example of the doin’s 
of the old boy himself? No, no, Pieter, don’t 
you ask a mite er forgiveness from this here 
old reprobate; he ain’t lit ter walk on the 
same airth with ye. But this I’m going ter 
tell ye is the solemn truth: He wan’t never 
so ashamed of himself in all his born days as 
he was when you had him pinned up against 
that wall and was just a-flashin’ fire out er 
your eyes right down inter his very soul. 
Seemed as if the Lord had sent one of His own 
shinin’ angils fer ter chasten me. And remem- 
208 


FORGIVE AND FORGET 


ber this; ye^ll never again, so long as ye live 
and breathe, see Abiah Davis in one of his 
tantrums, so help him God-a-mighty ! And ye 
will be friends again; Say ye will. Why I 
ain’t had a minit’s peace sence that gosh — , 
no, that plag-y night.” 

All this time he had been holding her hand 
in both his, and peering into her face as 
though upon her “ yea ” or “ nay ” depended 
his salvation. And who shall say that it did 
not? Truly, “ God moves in a mysterious 
way.” 

Sunshine’s eyes were bent upon the ground 
and her color went and came. Twice she 
raised her head as though to speak, and then 
her courage seemed to fail her. 

“ What is it, Pieter? What ails ye? Can’t 
ye say what ye want ter to me? ” 

Suddenly raising her head as one sometimes 
sees an animal at bay raise its head, she said : 

“ Yes, Mr. Davis, I can speak, and I may 
as well do so at once, for I must before I can 
be happy. You say you have nothing to for- 
give, but I think that you have and I shall 
be glad of your forgiveness, for I had no right 
to forget myself no matter what happened.” 
Here Abiah winced. 


209 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


But,” she continued, you nearly broke 
Mrs. Davis’s heart. Don’t you love her, Mr. 
Davis? And doesn’t it hurt you to see her 
grieved? It must be so for she is your wife, 
God couldn’t let it be any other way, could 
He?” 

She seemed to have forgotten herself in her 
earnestness, and resting her free hand upon 
his shoulder she looked into his deep gray eyes 
with those wonderfully soft, limpid ones of 
hers which made one think of a young fawn’s. 
What could Abiah reply to those searching 
eyes? To have told an untruth would have 
been a sacrilege. Slowly shaking his head he 
said: 

Little Pieter ; Little Pieter, I wonder if 
there be any love left in me? Seems ter me 
it was all buried out yonder in Jenny’s grave.” 

But she is Jenny’s mother,” said Sunshine 
simply. 

“ I know it ; yes, I know it, and may she 
and the good Lord forgive me! Come.” And 
without another word he started off toward 
the house; this time leading, instead of being 
led by Sunshine. Going straight to the dining- 
room where Hannah had already laid her 


210 


FORGIVE AND FORGET 


tempting tea, he led Sunshine before her and 
said : 

Here’s an angil : Jist nothin’ more nor 
less. She says she’ll forgive my divilmints, 
and if she can, will you? ” 

Had the roof fallen Hannah could not have 
been more amazed. Happily, she did not be- 
tray it, but looking at Abiah as calmly as 
though he had asked her to give him a cup of 
tea, replied: 

“ Yes, dear, let us forgive and forget.” 

Dear ! Dear ! Lord-a-massy, she ain’t 
called me that sence Jinny died,” he gasped 
as he dropped into his chair at the table. 

Sunshine stepped up to Hannah and giving 
her one of her swift little caresses, started to 
leave the room, when something in the long- 
ing look of Abiah’s eyes made her pause. Go- 
ing quickly up to him she took the gray head 
in both her hands, and touching the forehead 
with her soft, velvety lips, kissed it lightly and 
purely as a spirit might have done, and then 
went swiftly from the room. 


211 







i 


XIX 

ABIAH’S ITCHING PALM 



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CHAPTEE XIX 


AbiaK s Itching Palm 

O ctober brought Mr. and Mrs. Crow- 
ell, and the day of Sunshine’s depart- 
ure. To Hannah the coming separa- 
tion was truly a calamity, and although he 
said very little, one could not fail to see 
that with the girl’s departure, Abiah felt that 
the old house would be deprived of its best and 
brightest. 

A few days before leaving. Sunshine asked 
her father to go with her to select some pretty 
gifts for those whom she was leaving behind, 
and each was made happy with some appropri- 
ate remembrance of the sunny little soul who 
had spent nearly two months in their midst. 
But Abiah fared gloriously. Mr. Crowell let 
her follow her own fancies, and her selections 
proved characteristic of giver and recipient. 
A handsome carriage rug for the “ carryall,” a 
spandy new whip, a seal wallet for his papers 
and bills, and most remarkable of all, a diary ; 
for Abiah was much given to setting down the 

215 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


events of the day, although it is to be hoped 
that some of the happenings were forgotten, 
since referring to them later on could not have 
materially added to his happiness. 

It was funny to witness the old man’s de- 
light, for childhood and manhood did battle 
for supremacy. Abiah was not a generous 
man, and had never been known to voluntarily 
part with a penny, nor to lose an opportunity 
for making one. He had known from the out- 
set that Mr. Crowell was a wealthy man, but 
until Eloise had come, and he had seen how 
generously she gave and spent right and left, 
bringing pleasure and comfort to the well-to- 
do, as well as to the needy in Meadington, he 
had not appreciated how wealthy. She cared 
nothing for money for money’s sake, but saw 
in it only the means of giving happiness to 
others. This was a revelation to Abiah, who 
actually thought more of the outlay of five 
cents, than did this girl of five dollars. 

Hannah was generosity personified, and 
would have been a true lady-bountiful had the 
opportunity offered. But Abiah held the purse 
strings with a tight grip, and Hannah’s chari- 
ties depended wholly upon the results of her 
earnings from her fancy work. 

216 


ABIAH'S ITCHING PALM 


For some weeks past Abiah’s evil genius had 
been putting an idea into his head, which, if 
heeded, would reflect anything but credit upon 
him. Ever since he had first taken Sunshine 
out driving with him, he had been struggling 
between two desires; the desire to give her 
pleasure, and the desire of gain. He fre- 
quently took the young people of Meadington 
driving, charging them small sums, and feel- 
ing well repaid. But here was a veritable gold 
mine cast directly in his path, and whether to 
take it for gain^s sake, or let it slip by for 
love’s, was a serious problem to Abiah. The 
oftener he tried to decide, the more baffling 
grew his doubt, for Sunshine had invariably 
gone driving upon his own invitation, and to 
render a bill under such conditions, certainly 
seemed a trifle odd. 

But now her father had arrived, and where, 
she had spent cents, he was spending dollars, 
and poor Abiah’s avaricious old fingers were 
fairly itching to grasp some of them. 

It is hard to understand such a nature. One 
so sordid that it could entirely overlook former 
benefits in its desire for present gain. But 
the evil spirit conquered, even after a six 
weeks’ struggle with his better one. 

217 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


He drove Mr. and Mrs. Crowell and Sun- 
shine into Boston to the depot upon the day of 
their departure, and just as the train was 
about to leave, he placed an enormous envel- 
ope in Mr. CrowelPs hands. 

Supposing it to be something for Sunshine, 
Mr. Crowell took it, and smiling said : 

Thank you Mr. Davis, I’ll open it when 
we have started.” 

Yis ; yis ; that’s what I want you to do. 
Not here; not here,” and away he went to be 
swallowed up by the crowd. Mr. Crowell 
laughed as he disappeared, and said to his wife 
who sat just in front of him : 

He is the oddest old codger I ever came 
across. I wonder what this big envelope con- 
tains,” and settling himself comfortably in his 
chair he broke the seal and began to read the 
following extraordinary communication. 

Meadington, October 3, 18 — . 
Mr. E. W. Crowell, Dear Honored and Ke- 
spected Sir, — 

It is born in upon the writer that your 
daughter, known as Eloise, known as Sun- 
shine, known by the writer as Picture, has left 
218 


ABIAH'S ITCHING PALM 


undone those things which she ought to have 
done. (What in this world is the man driving 
at, exclaimed Mr. Crowell, leaning over to his 
wife’s chair in order that she, too, might read 
the astonishing letter. Sunshine was in the 
next chair, but was so absorbed in looking out 
of the window that she gave no heed to their 
conversation, which was, perhaps, as well for 
Abiah’s future peace of mind. ) 

Many hours has she passed with the writer, 
them same hours being spent behind Jerusha 
with myself. Eow many you can learn below, 
and also the value placed on same. That little 
Picture meant to settle her account before 
leaving Meadington, the writer does not ques- 
tion, but in her exuberance of life and girlish 
spirit, she has forgot it, and the writer now 
places the bill in her noble and wealthy 
parent’s hands. 

( Then followed an itemized bill of the drives 
Sunshine had taken during the past weeks, to 
the fraction of a half-hour, and the value of a 
half-cent, and the signature.) 

Yours in Humble Supplication, and Most 
Profound Kespect, 

Abiah Josiah Davis. 

219 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


To say that Mr. and Mrs. Crowell were both 
amused and indignant would but feebly ex- 
press it, yet their first words were : 

Don’t let Sunshine know of it,” and she 
never did, nor was the bill, which amounted 
to 157.23 ever paid. 

Before leaving Meadington Mr. and Mrs. 
Crowell had given their consent to Sunshine’s 
return for the Christmas holidays, and those 
she was leaving behind her were already count- 
ing the weeks which must be told off upon the 
calendar before she would again be among 
them. 

But home and school lay before her, and her 
thoughts were filled with pleasant anticipation 
of meeting her school-mates once more, for she 
was a general favorite with them all. 

How perfectly lovely it is to be at home 
again, Mamma,” she said as she stood at the 
window with her arm thrown caressingly about 
her mother’s waist the following evening. 
They were watching for Mr. Crowell, v/ho 
usually returned from business at about five 
o’clock, and who would have felt that some- 
thing was wrong with the end of the day if he 
failed to spy two figures watching for him in 
the big bay window which commanded a view 


220 



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“HOW PERFECTLY LOVELY IT IS TO BE AT HOME AGAIN, MAMMA 

Page 220 













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ABIAirS ITCHING PALM 


up and down the street in which their house 
stood. It was a beautiful home, beautiful in 
its location and in its appointments, but most 
beautiful of all in the spirit of love which per- 
vaded it, and stamped it with an individuality 
all its own. 

And it is very lovely to have my darling 
little daughter at home once more, I am sure,” 
answered Mrs. Crowell, as she rested her 
cheek upon the soft silky hair that was nest- 
ling upon her shoulder. 

“ It has seemed a very big house with very 
little in it, for several weeks, and I have not 
known what to do with myself when evening 
began to draw on.” 

“ Poor little Mudder, she was lonesome with- 
out her big baby, and that big baby was just 
a selfish thing to have all those good times and 
you not have a single one.” 

Indeed I had a great many,” answered 
Mrs. Crowell smiling, “ for Papa and I took 
many little flying trips, as I wrote you, for 
even though business affairs held him prisoner 
this summer, we could take those, and he de- 
rived a great deal of benefit from them, I am 
sure.” 

Look ! Look ! There he comes,” cried 


221 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Sunshine, see him wave his newspaper at us. 
Oh, how good it does seem to see him come 
home just in the old way. Really those weeks 
seem to be as many months,” and away she 
flew to reach the front door before he had time 
to ring, and spring into his arms the moment 
he stepped inside it. 

“ Hullo, little bear ! Are you going to hug 
all the breath out of me?” he cried as he 
caught her and returned the caress with in- 
terest. Well, I haven’t had such a welcome 
as that since my best girl left me nearly two 
months ago. Come down here little Mother, 
and rescue me, for this girl has a mind to put 
an end to me, I believe,” he called to Mrs. 
Crowell who was descending the stairs. 

I will insure your life against her if you 
wish me to, for I have had charge of her all 
day, and she really is not so formidable as she 
appears to be,” answered Mrs. Crowell, as she 
greeted her husband. 

“ Isn’t she now, really? Well, I am glad to 
receive that assurance,” said Mr. Crowell, as 
he hung his overcoat upon the rack, and plac- 
ing an arm about each of them said : 

Now come along up to the library with 
me. Steady now! There! Left foot first! 


222 


ABIAH'S ITCHING PALM 


Hay-foot; straw-foot! Keep in step or you 
can’t walk upstairs with me. Now!” and 
laughing in the light-hearted way that comes 
so naturally to the lips of a man who has come 
home from the cares and trials of business-life 
to be welcomed at his threshold with love and 
tenderness by wife and child, so that vexations 
and worries are forgotten and left upon the 
outside of the front door, not to be taken up 
again until the following morning, when he 
once more steps forth fortified to meet them, 
he led them into the library, the room in that 
home which was dearest to them all, for here 
they gathered about the cheerful open fire 
when evening drew on, to talk over the little 
happenings of the day, for, after all, it is The 
many little things which join in worldly 
strife,” and the “ Little joys and little pleas- 
ures that do mostly make up life.” When we 
have learned to manage those, the big things 
will take care of themselves. 


223 


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XX 

FARWELL HALL 




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CHAPTER XX 


Farwell Hall 

think she will come back?^’ 
I J I’m sure I don’t know, but I 
don’t see how she can” 

I hope she will if only for Eloise Crowell’s 
sake. She is so fond of her.” 

Perhaps she will find someone else to be 
fond of now. There are plenty of nice girls in 
the school for her to have for a friend if she 
must have one particular one, I’m sure,” said a 
somewhat over-dressed girl who stood talking 
with the group gathered in the Chemistry ” 
room of Farwell Hall, the school at the corner 

of Fifth avenue and street, one bright 

October morning. 

“ Why we all have one particular chum, you 
know, and so it is no wonder that Eloise Crow- 
ell should.” 

“ Oh, I don’t mean that it is surprising that 
she should have one particular girl for a chum, 
but that she should have that particular girl. 
She has never been especially popular with 
227 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


any of us, and doesn^t go much in our set,” 
answered Estelle Hopkins, the elaborately 
dressed girl. 

The only reason that she hasn’t gone out 
much is because her mother doesn’t approve of 
school-girls having a continuous round of 
gayety. She thinks that it unfits them for 
their work, especially if they are not very 
strong, and Marion Holt is not,” said Florence 
Weston, the girl who had first spoken in de- 
fense of the girl under discussion. 

‘‘ Well, I for one hope she will come back 
this year,” said another girl of the group, for 
ten or a dozen were assembled in the room to 
await the ringing of the bell which would open 
the school year. It was a large private school, 
and did not open for the fall term until the 
first week in October, and Sunshine, who had 
been a pupil there for the past five years had 
returned home just in time for it. 

While the conversation was in full swing 
she entered and the girls rushed toward her in 
a body, crying out : “ Oh you dear thing, when 
did you get home? ” “ How-do-you-do, Sun- 
shine.” “ Oh, we are awfully glad to see 
you ! ” and a dozen such greetings according 
to the girl who uttered them. Estelle Hopkins 
228 


FARWELL HALL 


arose languidly from the desk upon which she 
was sitting, gave an extra hitch down to her 
already down-tilted belt, an affected toss to 
her head as she airily put back some stray 
hairs from a pompadour which threatened to 
overbalance her with its size and weight, and 
taking a few steps toward Sunshine extended 
a very white, and much ring-bedecked hand to 
her. Sunshine took it in a warm grasp of 
good fellowship, only to find herself clasping 
an inanimate member which wagged limply 
sideways once or twice and then fell upon its 
owner’s hip, as though the exertion had been 
entirely too much for it. 

So awfully glad to have you back, you 
know,” said Miss Hopkins in rather a bored 
voice. 

Well you just better believe that I am glad 
to get back! Oh, girls, I’ve had such a per- 
fectly splendid time. I can’t begin to tell you 
about it! ” 

That isn’t any news,” laughed another 
girl, good naturedly. You are noted for hav- 
ing the very best times of any girl in the school. 
It isn’t because you really have better times 
than lots of us have, only that you get more 
out of them. You’d have a good time all alone 
229 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


on a desert island if there was only a stray 
crocodile or parrot on it for you to make a 
pet of,” and the good-natured girl came up to 
pinch the dimpled cheek which Sunshine 
turned toward her. 

Perhaps I should,” she said, but I really 
did have lots of lovely things done for me this 
time, and did lots of lovely things myself.” 

Such as rescuing misjudged boys and sav- 
ing them from being arrested?” asked Flor- 
ence Weston? 

Who in this world told you about that? ” 
asked Sunshine coloring slightly. 

ThaPs telling, but I heard all about it.” 

Then I just believe that Marion Holt told 
you, because she is the only girl who knew 
anything of it, and I only told her because it 
was so funny, and she made me promise that 
IM write every single thing that happened. 
But where is she this morning? Has anyone 
seen her? ” 

‘‘We were just talking about her when you 
came in,” said Estelle carelessly, “ and won- 
dering whether she was coming back to school 
or not.” 

The other girls exchanged glances, for the 
cool, unconcerned manner in which this was 
230 


FARWELL HALL 


said gave little hint of the sarcastic tone used 
when speaking before Sunshine arrived. 

Not coming back ! ’’ cried Sunshine in 
amazement. Why not? ” 

‘^Haven’t you heard?” asked Estelle lan- 
guidly, as though the matter were one which 
really was no concern of hers. 

Heard? Heard what? What do you 
mean, and what were you talking about before 
I came? Has anything happened to Marion? ” 
“ Not to Marion, herself, Eloise,” answered 
Florence, but her father has met with some 
severe business reverses we have heard, and 
they have had, or rather probably will have, 
to give up their home, it is said.” 

“ And Marion never wrote me about it, or 
told me a single thing ! ” 

I don’t think there has been time for her 
to write to you. It only came out last week, 
and you know that your father and mother 
had gone after you to bring you home then, so 
I suppose she thought that she would wait 
until you came back and then tell you.” 

Perhaps she thought it would be just as 
well to let you make the first advances, if you 
still cared to do so,” said Estelle. 

Why what do you mean? ” asked Sunshine 
231 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


so innocently that Estelle really had the grace 
to blush, and the others looked at her in a 
manner which certainly could not have added 
to her self-esteem. 

Oh, well. One can never tell how one may 
be received by one’s old friends when one is 
obliged to drop out of their set, you know.” 

Now Sunshine well deserved her name, for 
it took pretty heavy clouds to darken her 
brightness, but none could do it more effectu- 
ally than those which cast shadows upon the 
ones she loved, or those whom she saw fit to 
befriend, and Estelle had never before aroused 
the half reproachful, half scornful light which 
came into the girl’s eyes as she answered: 

The set in which Marion belongs by right 
of birth and breeding will always hold it a 
privilege to welcome her,” and turning upon 
her heel she crossed the room to speak to some 
new arrivals. 

There! Now you have caught it,” said one 
of the group under her breath. 

“ I am sure it does not affect me in the least. 
Miss Crowell may say what she chooses, and 
make whom she chooses her friends. We are 
not in the same set, and I seldom come in con- 
tact with her or any of her friends.” 

232 


FAR WELL HALL 


‘‘ But you would give your right ear co ! ” 
was the prompt retort from one of the girls 
to whom truth came first and choice of words 
\ second. 

1 Meanwhile Sunshine had entered another 
group and stood talking with them until the 
bell rang for assembly. Just as she started 
across the hall for the Chapel, Marion Holt 
came hurrying from the cloak room. Sunshine 
gave a little cry of rapture, and running over 
to her slipped her arm about her waist in her 
winning way and snuggled her face down in 
Marion’s neck for just a second to whisper: 
‘‘ I’m so glad to see you that I couldn’t tell 
you how glad even if I might, but I’ll tell you 
at recess,” and walked with her into Chapel. 

Marion’s face flushed with pleasure, and her 
beautiful eyes looked the gratitude she could 
not speak, for once the bell for Chapel sounded 
no talking was allowed. 

Why didn’t you write to me? ” asked Sun- 
shine gently, when at recess she and Marion 
had gone off by themselves to have a quiet talk 
in the deserted music room. 

There has not been time,” answered 
Marion. It all came so suddenly, that I 
can’t believe it is so even now. At first I 


233 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


thought I could not come back to such an ex- 
pensive school, but Aunt Marion, Papa’s sister 
for whom I am named, you know, said that she 
would see to that. She is not very well off, 
but she wants to do this for me because Papa 
has done a great deal for her, and he invested 
her money so carefully that she is able to live 
very nicely upon the income. He has done 
so much for others that it seems a pity that 
he should lose his own money, doesn’t it? So 
I am to stay at school this year any way, and 
perhaps by next year Papa will be able to get 
everything straightened out.” 

Oh, I am so glad you are to be here, but 
so very, very sorry that this trouble has over- 
taken Mr. Holt,” said Sunshine her eyes fill- 
ing with sympathetic tears, but you must 
let me make it just as pleasant as ever I can 
for you this winter. It is going to be a lovely 
one for me, I know, and you must share just 
everything/’ 

‘‘ You are just as sweet and good as well, 

as Sunshine,” cried Marion, and when I have 
said that I can’t say any more, but I am afraid 
that I shall have to give up the good times for 
this winter any way. We thought first that 
we would sell the house, but Mamma felt so 

234 


FARWELL HALL 


badly at the thought of doing so, because it 
was Papa’s wedding present to her you know, 
that we tried to think of some way of lessening 
our expenses, and we have decided to take 
boarders. I am afraid that some of the girls 
will not care to invite the daughter of a board- 
ing-house keeper to visit them, but I must put 
my pride in my pocket, and not mind it, I 
dare say.’’ 

‘‘ Not invite you to visit them ! ” exclaimed 
Sunshine aghast at the thought, and then her 
expressive face flushed crimson as she remem- 
bered Estelle’s remark, and at once suspected 
what had caused her to make it. 

Marion laughed a rather bitter little laugh, 
as she caught Sunshine’s face in both her 
hands and kissed each cheek. ‘‘ I guess I need 
not worry very much so long as Eloise Crowell 
stands by me, need I ? ” she asked, for there 
was not a girl in the school who would not 
have cancelled almost any engagement for the 
sake of accepting one to Mrs. Crowell’s home, 
and Eloise was an acknowledged leader, al- 
though she never for one moment suspected 
that she was, and would have laughed merrily 
at the thought of being one to follow in any 
way. Nevertheless such was the case, and 

23s 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


many a girl tried all sorts of little subterfuges 
to bring about an invitation to her beautiful, 
home, where grace and harmony were so in- 
separable that one felt instantly influenced by 
them directly one entered it. 


XXI 

IN THE SCHOOL-GIRL’S 
WORLD 






CHAPTER XXI 

In the School-GirV s World 


<< X JUST can’t understand it,” said Sun- 
I shine with a perplexed wag of her 
pretty head, “ and it makes me feel 
dreadfully. Why do you suppose they do 
such things. Mamma? ” 

It was a beautiful October morning, with 
just enough crispiness in the air to make one’s 
blood tingle, and Sunshine and her mother 
were enjoying it to the full as they drove along 
the almost deserted drive- ways of Central Park, 
for few were stirring abroad at that early hour. 
Occasionally a leaf would flutter down upon 
them from the brilliantly-colored trees, shaken 
loose by a squirrel scurrying overhead. 

Bonny Dundee was in a joyous mood, and 
occasionally gave a frisky little jump to let his 
mistress know how happy he was to have her 
behind him once more. But Sunshine was too 
occupied just then to respond to Bonny’s 
wiles, for she was confronted by one of life’s 
problems, and having never before been called 

239 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


upon to solve one of this kind, found it diffi- 
cult to understand, and baffling to handle. 

Tell me just what has been said or done, 
and perhaps I shall see a remedy for the diffi- 
culty,’^ said her mother, always ready to enter 
into any of her thoughts or plans, if she felt 
that by so doing she could be of service. 

‘‘ That is just it! I can’t put it into words, 
and yet it is so, for I feel it every day, but 
when I try to find out just exactly what it is, 
or say that this or that should not be so, — why, 
I am all at sea again. It isn’t imagination, 
either, for I don’t think I see such things as 
quickly as the others do, but have to bump 
right into them before I know anything about 
them. Marion feels it too, I am sure, and that 
is what hurts me so. Of course, she does not 
say anything, for, as I said, there doesn’t seem 
anything to say, but she is not so bright and 
gay as she used to be, and sort of waits for the 
other girls to make the first advances. I don’t 
mean that she acts that way with me, for we 
are just as chummy as ever we were, but with 
some of the others.” 

Do you know of anything having really 
been done to wound her feelings, dear? ” asked 
Mrs. Crowell gently. 


240 


THE SCHOOL-GIRUS WORLD 


Not by her real friends, but some of the 
girls have, — there, how shall I say it? It is 
like trying to kill a mosquito ; you slap and 
slap and don’t strike it, and yet you Icnoio 
that the nasty little thing is there and ready 
to give you a good bite the very first chance it 
gets. Now this is one thing, and yet when I 
try to tell it it seems silly, but it need not 
have been done at all, and it did make Marion 
uncomfortable. You know her mother has al- 
ways dressed her simply, just as you like to 
have me dress. Sort of comfortable and free, 
so that I never have to stop to think what I 
have on, or fuss with it to keep it in order. 
It just “ stays put.” And Marion’s clothes 
have always been pretty as could be, but easy 
like mine. Last year she wore such a lovely 
Scotch plaid tweed to school sometimes, but it 
was a heavy dress and she did not wear it 
often. Well, this year she came in it again, 
but it has been lengthened by putting one of 
those pretty fiare fiounces on it, and it is really 
just as sweet as it can be, and she looks so well 
in it. The dress is just as fresh as though it 
were new, and yet what do you suppose one of 
the girls said when they saw her come in with 
it on? ” 


241 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ I am sorry that any of them felt called 
upon to notice what she wore at all. It would 
seem to me that one^s clothing should be an 
entirely secondary consideration, and except- 
ing that the general impression should be a 
pleasing one to ourselves and our friends, 
never be given a thought.’’ 

“ Well, so should I. I should go distracted 
if I were obliged to think all the time about 
what I was wearing, and if everything was 
just exactly so. But when Marion came into 
the room that morning one of the girls looked 
up and remarked : ‘ How mortifying it must 
be to her to have to come out in made-over 
clothes this year ! ’ And another one an- 
swered : ‘ Yes, actually, it is the very same 

dress she wore all last season, and let down! ^ 
as though Marion had no right to grow taller 
because her father has met with business re- 
verses. I wouldn’t have cared so much what 
they said, if Marion had not caught some of 
the words as she came over to say good-morn- 
ing to me, but I am sure she did hear some 
part of their remarks anyway, because she 
flushed up so quickly, and then laughed a 
queer little laugh as she put her arm around 
my waist just as she always does when she 
242 


THE SCHOOL-GIRHS WORLD 


first comes in, and said to me : ^ Come along, 
my Sunshine,’ with just a little emphasis 
upon the ‘ my,’ ‘ I have some pleasant news 
for you.’ And then we went off by ourselves 
and had a nice cozy talk, and she told me some- 
thing so lovely. Mamma.” 

“ I am glad that a pleasant thought came to 
depose the unpleasant one, and so gratified 
that you can make Marion’s path smoother. 
It is very, very hard for them all, and I feel 
the deepest sympathy for both Mr. and Mrs. 
Holt. It required great strength of purpose 
for him to do as he did, for the firm was an old 
and respected one, and could have held out for 
a considerable time upon its credit. But Mr. 
Holt felt that it would only be putting off the 
evil day, and perhaps involving others as well, 
and preferred to give up the struggle at once, 
and begin over while he felt that he had 
strength and health to do so. Mrs. Holt has 
come nobly to the front, and is standing by 
him like the true helpmeet she is, but she is 
far from strong and I am fearful for her 
health.” 

Yes, and so is Marion, and she does all she 
can to save her mother. Well, as I said, we 
went off together and I tried to make her feel 

243 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


more comfortable about her dress by saying 
something nice about it, for it did look just as 
pretty as could be, and so I said how sweet she 
looked, and that she had on the dress I always 
liked so much. And she said : ^ I’d wear bags 
if it would help Papa and Mamma! I don’t 
care what anyone says if I know that I am 
doing right, and those whose good opinions I 
care for are not liable to criticise me. But let 
me tell you what has happened at home, for I 
am sure you will be glad to know.’ And then 
she told me that Mr. and Mrs. Snow had just 
come back from Europe with their family, 
and were stopping at the Savoy for a time 
until they could decide upon what they would 
better do for the winter. You know they can’t 
go into their house until it has been put in 
order.” 

Yes,” answered Mrs. Crowell, it was a 
dreadful fire, and its origin will forever re- 
main a mystery, I presume.” 

Well, just as soon as Mrs. Snow heard of 
the trouble the Holt’s were in, she went to call 
upon Mrs. Holt, and asked her if she would 
consider harboring them for the winter, saying 
in her jolly way that she was ‘ turned out into 
the cold, cold world, and entirely dependent 
244 


THE SCHOOL-GIRUS WORLD 


upon her friends.’ Of course, they could stay 
at the Savoy if they wanted to, and Marion 
and her mother know that well enough, but it 
made it seem so different, don’t you know. 
Mamma, to have her go in that bright, cheery 
way to ask it as a special favor, when she was 
really doing one herself. So they have taken 
pretty nearly the whole of the Holt’s house, 
only leaving them enough room for their own 
use, so that they won’t have to think of anyone 
else, and it will be just like one big family. 
Isn’t that lovely!’’ and Sunshine gave a little 
bounce of rapture, which caused the runabout 
to bounce too, and Bonny Dundee to bounce 
in sympathy. 

I am more delighted than I can express,” 
cried Mrs. Crowell. “ It means so much for 
dear Mrs. Holt. I dreaded the thought of her 
having to receive strangers into her beautiful, 
refined home, and coming into contact with all 
manner of people. She has known Mrs. Snow 
for years, and the family is a charming one. 
I have no doubt that they will remain with 
them until Spring, for Mr. Snow told Papa 
that he had decided not to try to open their 
house this year at all, as they are going to 
make such extensive alterations that it would 
245 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


be very nearly spring before they could be 
completed, and then it would hardly be 
worth their while to go into their home for 
BO short a time. They leave town very early 
anyway.’^ 

Yes, that is just what Mrs. Snow said, too. 
And what do you think? 

You know that the second-story rear room 
has always been Mrs. Holt’s bedroom?” 

Yes.” 

Well, Mrs. Snow wouldn’t take that at all, 
but insisted upon Mrs. Holt’s keeping it, and 
said in her funny way : ‘ Have the house- 

keeper of the establishment up in the third 
floor! Never! What would become of the 
domestic economy, or any other economy? I 
can’t hear of it ! I must have that third floor 
through, and reserve the library in the second 
floor front for my own special and private re- 
ception room, to which I shall invite you when 
I feel specially amiable or you have been par- 
ticularly good.’ Wasn’t that a nice way to 
put it? ” 

“ Nothing could have been nicer,” answered 
Mrs. Crowell, smiling upon the animated, sym- 
pathetic face beside her. 

^^So,” continued Sunshine, ‘‘Marion and 
246 


THE SCHOOL-GIRUS WORLD 


Fernold are going to ^ Sky parlor/ as Marion 
calls the fourth floor, and they are to have the 
big front room for a sort of study, Fernold is 
to take the hall room for his bed-room, and 
Marion is to have the big back one for hers. 
It is such a lovely sunny one, you know, and 
she is going to fix everything up just as pretty 
as can be, and wants me to come over to help 
her this afternoon. May I? You see, she has 
promised to take entire care of that floor, and 
when she or Fernold want to have company 
they can invite them right up there and have 
a gay time without disturbing anyone. If 
Fernold wants to have someone over night, 
Marion is going to give up her room, and so 
they will take it turn and turn about. I am 
just wild to go over to see her, and I may, 
mayn^t I? ” 

“ By all means. I would not have you miss 
doing so for anything, and give Mrs. Holt my 
love and tell her how truly delighted I am.” 

By this time they had made the circuit of 
the Park and turned toward home, driving out 
at the Seventy-second street entrance which 
was the one nearest to the street in which they 
lived. 

Bonny is lovelier than ever, Robert,” cried 
247 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Sunshine to the groom who was awaiting their 
return,” but you must wait a moment until I 
run in to get his sugar, you know.” 

I have not forgot the old ways. Miss 
Eloise,” answered the man, with a smile. 
‘‘We have all missed them for the past weeks.” 

“ That is nice to hear, Robert,” she answered 
as she tripped up the steps and a moment later 
returned with four lumps of sugar. 

“ Now Bonny, make your manners,” she 
cried to the handsome little cob which 
promptly began to shake his head up and down 
and paw the ground. 

Sunshine went in front of him and held out 
her hand, and he instantly placed his dainty 
hoof in it to “ shake hands.” 

“ That’s a dear ! ” cried his mistress, de- 
lighted to see that her pet had not forgotten 
his clever tricks. 

“ How hard do you love me. Bonny? ” she 
asked next. 

Bonny gave a joyous neigh and scrooched 
his head into her arms, thereby testifying to 
the extent of his power that he loved her very 
dearly indeed. 

“ How many lumps of sugar do I always 
give you? ” and Bonny Dundee raised first one 
248 


THE SCHOOL-GIRUS WORLD 


small foot and stamped it upon the pavement 
and then another until four stamps counted 
four lumps. 

Now get ready to say good-by to me, for I 
am going in the house and you won’t see me 
again to-day.” 

Bonny Dundee’s velvety muzzle was thrust 
gently forward until it touched Sunshine’s 
jacket and went feeling carefully up and down 
the front until it touched the tiniest point of 
her pocket handkerchief which peeped out 
from the front of it. This he instantly 
clasped in his teeth and drew forth to wave 
up and down in farewell. Nor would he give 
it up when Sunshine pretended to take it from 
him, but went trotting off down the street with 
it held tightly in his teeth, every now and 
then shaking his head up and down as though 
waving farewell to the little mistress who 
stood upon the steps to watch him until he 
turned the corner which led to his stable. 

Then she ran into the house, with never a 
thought for conventionalities, for only in a 
certain degree did they exist for this happy 
little body, whose whole life was as natural 
and blithe as the birds. 


249 





XXII 

CHUMS 


I 




CHAPTER XXII 


Chums 

( C OOD-B Y, Mamina ! I’m off to 

t ‘W Marion’s now,” cried Sunshine 
soon after luncheon, as she 
popped her head into her mother’s room, and 
then ran across to give her a farewell kiss. 

You and Papa will stop for me, won’t you, 
when you return from your drive? ” 

Yes, you may expect us at about five 
o’clock. Give my love to Mrs. Holt and to 
Marion, and tell them that I shall come to call 
as soon as they have everything settled and are 
ready to receive visitors.” 

Sunshine made her way to Fifty-sixth street 
as rapidly as only a healthy, happy girl, filled 
with a desire to enter heart and soul into a 
school-chum’s plans and projects, can. Run- 
ning up the steps of the house in which Marion 
had lived ever since she was born. Sunshine 
rang the bell and the door was promptly 
opened by a neat Swedish maid, who smiled 
broadly upon her. 


253 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ How do you do, Hilda? I am so glad that 
you are here yet,” cried Sunshine. 

“ I no can leave Mrs. Holt. She too goo-od 
to me,” answered the maid, and then added: 

We miss you so m-u-c-h, Mees Sunshine! ” 

Did you, Hilda? Well here I am back 
again to run in evei*y day, and just tire you 
out answering the door.” 

You no tire me out. Miss Sunshine. I run 
upstairs more as twenty times to let you in.” 

Thaf s kind, Hilda. But where is Miss 
Marion? ” 

She way t^p-staire, in what she call her 
cloud’^avlor. She make all so preety! She 
say you to come up there just so soon you call.” 

Then up I go ! ” and she started briskly 
upstairs. At the head of the first fiight a sweet 
voice called from the rear room : 

“ Is that my sweet childie whom I hear out 
there? ” 

“ It^s Sunshine,” was answered back. 

“ As that is just what I need, will it please 
come right in here? ” 

Sunshine pushed open the door which was 
partly closed, and it did indeed, seem as 
though the sunshine entered the room with 
her, for a sunnier, happier face it would be 

254 


CHUMS 


difficult to imagine than the one which smiled 
upon the lady seated in a low chair and sur- 
rounded by an almost endless number of things 
which she was sorting out preparatory to 
placing them in bureau drawers, closets, and 
the various places in which we find it neces- 
sary to tuck things from sight. 

Sunshine ran across the room to her, and 
Mrs. Holt put out her arm to draw her to her 
side, as Sunshine dropped upon her knees be- 
side the chair, and put both arms about her 
friend’s neck, for she had known Mrs, Holt 
ever since she could remember, and loved her 
very dearly. 

Why, my big, big girl ! ” exclaimed Mrs. 
Holt, looking at her intently. “ Do you know 
that Boston air must agree with you wonder- 
fully, for you have grown both ways. How 
delighted I am to see you looking so well. 
And so you have come straight over to see us, 
and to help arrange Sky-parlor? Marion is 
up there hard at work, and very ready for as- 
sistance and suggestions, I dare say.’’ 

I am just as ready to give them,” said Sun- 
shine, with a little laugh, but perhaps it will 
be more of the latter than the former.” Then 
her voice changed to a more sympathetic tone 

255 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


as she said: “Mrs. Holt, I cannot tell you 
how sorry I am to learn what has happened, 
and I do so want to do something to be a real 
help to you, but there doesn’t seem any way 
for me to. Can’t you tell me how? ” 

“ Doesn’t it occur to you that you are help- 
ing this very minute? The very fact of your 
coming here in this sweet friendly way, to 
offer your sympathy to those whom trouble 
has overtaken, and standing ready to enter so 
heartily into our plans for overcoming the diffi- 
culties which encompass us, is a very strong 
moral help, dear, and that is often the one of 
which we most stand in need in this big busy 
world, where one is very apt to think of one’s 
self before one’s fellowmen. Marion needs 
just such a friend as her Sunshine this winter, 
and you can do a great deal toward making 
her path an easy one. You may not see just 
how at this moment, but I am sure that you 
will before the winter ends,” and Mrs. Holt 
stroked back the little elf locks that would 
come tumbling all about Sunshine’s face. 

“ I hope that I shall be able to, for Marion 
and I have been such close friends, you know, 
and we have always had such good times to- 
gether.” 


CHUMS 


“ Wait until the time comes, and then we 
shall see. But now give your signal, and lis- 
ten for the answer from above,” said Mrs. 
Holt, and Sunshine sprung to her feet to run 
to the door and give the first notes of the wood- 
thrush’s call. The musical little piping whis- 
tle had barely left her lips, when the conclud- 
ing notes of the call answered from the fourth 
floor, and were followed by a voice which 
cried : 

“ Oh, come on up ! I’m up to my eyes in 
business, and need my right-hand woman.” 

Sunshine flew up the stairs to be welcomed 
at the head of the last flight by Marion, decked 
out in a big gingham apron, her hair tied up 
in a silk handkerchief, a pair of Fernold’s 
gloves upon her hands, and an artistic streak 
of dust across her nose. “ Business, busi- 
ness!” she cried. Take off your hat and 
things and put them in that closet over there 
if you don’t want them smothered with dust, 
for I’m delving, and where all the dust comes 
from is a mystery to me, for this house was 
supposed to have been cleaned from top to 
bottom not so very many weeks ago. Now tell 
me what you think of my handiwork?” ond 
she led the way into the large front room which 
257 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


she and her brother were to have for a sort of 
sanctum sanctorum. 

Oh, how pretty ! ” exclaimed Sunshine, 
stopping short upon the threshold, for Marion 
had quite transformed the room which for- 
merly had been used as a sort of sewing and 
general utility room. In one corner she had 
placed a couch and piled it high with pillows ; 
between the windows near it stood Fernold^s 
desk, and kitty-cornered near the other win- 
dow was her own. In the center of the room 
stood a large table with a handsome velour 
cover of soft green, and upon it a lamp with a 
green shade. Lying on the table were books, 
magazines, her own little work basket, and 
also some of her brother’s treasures. All about 
the room were placed their own special belong- 
ings, and upon the walls their own pictures 
were artistically hung, and the whole room 
presented a delightfully home-like air, and one 
longed to settle one’s self down for a truly 
snug time of it. 

“ Oh, isn’t it just too cosy for anything? ” 
cried Sunshine again. 

“ I’m awfully glad you like it, and now come 
and see Fernold’s bed-room. I have that all 
fixed up too, but mine is still a sight. I 
258 


CHUMS 


thought I’d better get him straightened out 
first,” said Marion, for men hate a mess so.” 

In the hall room adjoining she had arranged 
everything for her brother’s comfort, and he 
would hardly miss the luxurious back room 
on the third floor which he had been obliged 
to give up to Mr. Snow’s two daughters. “ Now 
come and behold the state of affairs in my 
domicile,” cried Marion, as she held aside the 
portiere for Sunshine to return to their sitting- 
room. Marion’s was the large back room, and 
in it chaos held revel, for as she arranged the 
other two rooms, she had carried into her own 
every unavailable article, until the room was 
filled. 

“ Behold confusion, worse confounded ! ” she 
cried as she pushed aside the portiere for her 
friend to enter. 

Sunshine gave a little laugh, as she said : 

Well, it does look just a trifle upset, but 
let’s do what old Mr. Davis was forever urging 
his farm hands to do out in Meadington: 
‘Hustle! Hustle!’ Oh, Marion, he was the 
funniest old man you can possibly think of, 
but he was as kind to me as he could be, and 
did ever so many nice things for me. When I 
have a chance I’ll tell you more about him, 

259 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


but now let^s get at this mess. Here, let me 
arrange this closet, while you fix the bureau 
drawers.’^ 

Put on this apron, first, for you will be 
covered with dust if you don^t, and tie up your 
bonny brown hair in this big handkerchief. If 
I send her daughter home with a dusty noddle 
your mother will read me a lecture, I know.” 

Sunshine rigged herself up as directed, 
mounted the little step-ladder in order to reach 
the top shelves first, and set to work in 
earnest. 

You see, I want to get all this sort of thing 
done before Monday, for Mrs. Snow will come 
then, and I don’t want to have things in a mess 
by way of a welcome to her. Moreover, I 
have told Mamma that I intend to look after 
this floor, and attend to all our little needs. 
I am sure I don’t know just how I am going to 
set about it, for I never mended or darned a 
sock in my life, and I dare say that Fernold 
will hobble to the college until I learn how to 
avoid making hummocks in the soles of his 
socks. But he will be hobbling in a good 
cause, you see, and it behooves him to go on 
one leg if necessary until I become proficient.” 

And rattling on in the merry way that was 
260 


CHUMS 


natural to her, this girl forgot that she was 
giving up many of the luxuries of life to which 
she had been accustomed from her birth, and 
made the most of what lay before her for the 
sake of a rather delicate mother and a brother 
for whom she wished to make home a very 
pleasant place indeed. 

By five o’clock nearly everything was com- 
pleted, and the two girls sat down upon the 
edge of the bed to survey the result. 

Would you loop back the curtains, or 
leave them hanging straight down? ” asked 
Marion, cocking her head upon one side the 
better to view the effect of one curtain looped 
back, and one hanging straight down. 

I like them looped back,” said Sunshine, 
because you get the full benefit of the sun 
then, and this is such a lovely sunny room that 
it seems a pity to shut any of it out, doesn’t 
It? ” 

“ True to your name ! ” cried Marion laugh- 
ing, as she crossed the room to tie back the 
other curtain with the pretty satin ribbon she 
had laid aside for the purpose. Do you re- 
member this ribbon? ” she asked as she held up 
a piece of the sheeny pale blue Liberty satin 
ribbon. 


261 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ Of course I do ; it is the ribbon you had 
on that white organdy you wore to my Hallow 
E’en party last year,” cried Sunshine, “ and 
that makes me think. Mamma is going to stop 
at Demsey and Carroll’s to order the cards for 
this year’s frolic. She hunted up a lot of 
funny pranks for that night and we will have 
a great time. Don’t forget it, for you will 
come, of course? ” 

Will you let me come in my old duddies? ” 
asked Marion with an odd laugh. 

“ You may come in a cotton bag, if you will 
only come! Why what w^ould it be without 
you, I’d like to know?” 

“ A miserable affair, of course, since you 
have such a dearth of friends you poor child,” 
said Marion, pulling one of Sunshine’s long 
braids. 

Well, none will ever take your place, and 
you know that well enough.” 

I’m very glad to hear it, ma’am ; for I have 
a shrewd suspicion that I shall have the pleas- 
ure, or the mortification, of learning that my 
society is not so highly valued by everyone.” 

“I just don’t believe it!” cried Sunshine 
indignantly. 

‘‘ Which do you doubt; the pleasure or the 
262 


CHUMS 


mortification?^’ asked Marion gayly. “You 
see I am taking a ^ pheelosopheecal ’ view of 
the situation, as Professor Delarey calls it, 
and I’m not going to be glum and woeful just 
because Papa can no longer keep his horses, 
and ‘ dress me up in silks so fine.’ But there 
goes the bell! I wager a button it is your 
mother come to take you home, and what a 
sight you are! Come quick and get some of 
the dust off your face, and let me smooth your 
towsled head for you,” and Marion whisked 
her into the lavatory just as a voice at the foot 
of the stairs called : 

“ May we come up and see the results of the 
day’s labor? ” 


263 



XXIII 

HALLOW E’EN 


1 



CHAPTER XXIII 


Hallow Hen 

iC^^HOOSE partners for the two-step!” 

B . cried Mr. Crowell, on the night of 
the Hallow E^en dance, and the 
girls all flew to the row of chairs arranged in 
line in the large room at the rear of the house. 
Each girl was provided with a pretty little 
hand-mirror, which after her partner was 
chosen she was to keep as a sovenir of the 
evening. Twenty girls were speedily seated 
in one row of chairs and twenty more back to 
them in another row, with space between for 
the boys to march. Marion happened to be 
seated next to Florence Weston, and next to 
Florence sat Estelle Hopkins, invited because 
Sunshine had wished to ask, together with 
other friends, all the girls in her class, and 
could not well make distinctions. It was the 
flrst time she had ever been invited to Mrs. 
CrowelPs home, and in her secret soul she 
was fllled with an intense satisfaction, for she 
had tried time and again to bring about an in- 
267 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


vitation, only to find that she had not been in- 
cluded in the list of those invited to some 
little festivity there. Mrs. Crowell was not 
acquainted with Mrs. Hopkins, and there was 
very small chance of their ever meeting, as 
their tastes and friends were widely divided. 
In the present instance simple little cards of 
invitation had been prettily gotten up and in 
order to avoid any appearance of formality, 
Mrs. Crowell had asked Miss Grace’s per- 
mission to have them placed in the girl’s 
desks, and had herself addressed them to an 
equal number of Sunshine’s boy friends. Miss 
Grace, the principal of Farwell Hall had 
readily consented, and each girl had found 
her card upon her arrival at school the follow- 
ing morning. 

A lively march was struck up by the 
musicians, and down filed the boys, the girls 
holding their mirrors in such a manner that 
they could plainly see each boy as he passed 
behind them. As is generally the case, some 
of the boys were exceptionally good dancers, 
and, quite naturally, the girls were anxious to 
secure such for partners. When her choice 
passed behind her mirror that girl was to let 
the glass fall into her lap, and that laddie was 
268 


HALLOW HEN 


to end his march at the back of her chair and 
stand there until all had secured partners. 
Livelier and livelier played the musicians, and 
faster and faster marched the boys, until they 
were flitting past the little mirrors so quickly 
that it was no easy matter for the girls to 
catch sight of the Knights of their hearts. 
Several, however, had come to a halt behind 
his lady^s chair, when one who was a particu- 
larly good dancer came prancing by with his 
hands placed upon the shoulders of the boy in 
front of him, and Estelle, who had let the line 
pass by twice already, let her glass drop into 
her lap. Whether the laddie was too much 
occupied with his pranks, or whether he al- 
ready had an eye piped toward Marion, it 
would be hard to tell, at all events, he did not 
see the glass fall, and the next second Marion’s 
fell into her lap, and my laddie came to a 
sudden halt, unluckily, bringing to a stand- 
still just at Estelle’s chair an awkward boy 
to whom dancing in itself was torture, and a 
girl who tried to put on the airs and graces 
of a blasd woman of society, a perfect horror. 

Estelle’s face turned crimson, and she 
darted at the unconscious Marion a glance 
which would have withered her had it been 
269 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


electrical. Florence saw it, and could not re- 
press a smile, which Estelle noted and an- 
swered with a defiant toss of her head. 

They were now all provided with partners, 
and were promptly whirled away to the front 
parlors which had been cleared for dancing. 
The moment the room was empty, the attend- 
ants hurried in and removed all the chairs 
and then set about arranging it for the next 
game to follow, for between each dance some 
sort of Hallow E’en prank was played. 

Meanwhile, Marion and her partner were 
gliding about as only two young people who 
are thoroughly acquainted, and intensely fond 
of dancing, can glide, while off in one corner 
Estelle and her shy youth were having a 
struggle of their own. Bound to do his duty 
or die in the attempt, the laddie was pulling 
and tugging at his partner for dear life. 
One moment bouncing one way while she 
bounced another, jerking this way while she 
jerked that, and using the long ribbons at the 
back of her gown as a sort of handle to steer 
her by, till poor Estelle looked very much as 
though a cyclone had struck her. 

‘^Oh, please, please stop, and let me sit 
down ! ” she gasped at last, when he had 
270 



“ ‘MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE ?’ ASKED THE BOY WITH A BOW.” 

Page 271 





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HALLOW KEN 


bumped her into Marion and her partner who 
had just glided by, and Marion had smiled 
pleasantly at them in passing. The smile had 
been entirely guileless, but Estelle felt that it 
was adding insult to injury, and vowed within 
herself to “ get even with that thing whose 
mother was nothing but a boarding-house 
keeper now, and who dared to laugh at her 
whose father could buy and sell Mr. Holt ten 
times over if he wished to do so.’^ 

Yes, ye-s ; I don^t dance very well, I am 
afraid,” gasped her partner, “ and I^m aw- 
fully sorry if I have spoilt your dance. Some- 
how I can^t get the knack of it.” 

I shouldn’t think you could! ” exclaimed 
Estelle as she settled her frills and furbelows. 
Just then Sunshine passed by, and seeing that 
her guest was standing still while the music 
played, whispered something to her partner, 
and stopped in the midst of her dance to go 
up to Estelle and say : “ Won’t you please 
finish this dance with my cousin Howard, for 
I want to speak to Mamma a moment.’^ 

May I have the pleasure? ” asked the tall, 
handsome boy, with a bow. 

“ Just the moment I get my breath,” an- 
swered Estelle, fanning herself vigorously. 

271 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Allow me,” said the boy taking her fan 
from her, and giving a quick, meaning glance 
to Sunshine, who said: 

“ Fred, will you escort me to the dining- 
room? I want to speak to Mamma a mo- 
ment,” and laying her hand upon the bash- 
ful boy’s arm, she led the way through the 
rooms. 

With Sunshine all his shyness vanished, and 
he cried in contrition : 

“ Oh, I say, I made an awful mess of that 
girl ! Just tied her all up in hard knots, don’t 
you know. She’ll never in the world be able 
to get her sash, or whatever you call it, 
straightened out, but she loould drop her mir- 
ror for me, and what could I do? ” 

“ Never mind, it is all right now. Howard 
is a splendid dancer. That will pay up for 
any damage you may have done, and I don’t 
believe you did so much, after all. Just as 
soon as I speak to Mamma, we will try it to- 
gether, and you see if we don’t get on finely. 
Just let me do the guiding and don’t try to 
pull the other way,” said Sunshine with a 
little laugh. 

Her word with her mother was soon spoken, 
and a moment later she had taken her partner 
272 


HALLOW HEN 


to a less crowded part of the room, and they 
were bobbing about in perfect time to the 
music, for it had been more stage fright ’’ 
with the boy than anything else, and directly 
he felt that his partner was not going to 
criticize, but help him, he plucked up spirit of 
grace and did his manful best. When the 
music ceased he grasped Sunshine’s hand in 
genuine boyish gratitude saying: 

“ But that was just jolly ! Will you do it 
again? I guess I’d like it first rate if I could 
dance with you all the time.” 

“ I am afraid that I can’t dance with you 
all the time, but I’ll give you every dance I 
can,” and nodding brightly she went to join 
the girls who were now gathering for another 
game. 

And so the evening passed quickly away, 
and at midnight all departed filled with happy 
thoughts and gratitude to their entertainers. 
All but one girl. Deep in her heart rankled 
a sense of injury, although there was really 
no cause for it, and she was determined to 
pay off the score if she could do so. “ The idea 
of making me so ridiculous! Of course she 
saw me let my glass fall, but she wanted Bert 
Temple for her own partner, and I am sure 

273 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


she made some sign to him so that he need 
not stop when he was back of my chair.” 

And thus was a little seed sowed which later 
would bring forth very bitter fruit. 

November was now well advanced and the 
girls were hard at work upon the examina- 
tions for the ending of the Fall term. The 
week before the term ended Miss Grace said 
to the girls one morning : 

I have a pleasant bit of information for 
my girls to-day and it is quite as gratifying 
to me as I feel sure it will be to them. You 
all know how deeply interested Professor Hal- 
leck has been in this school, and how very 
anxious he is that its record shall be a high 
one, and its pupils a credit to it. A few days 
ago he called upon me at my home, and said 
that he had a little plan to propose, which he 
hoped would meet with my approval, and in 
which I would co-operate with him. Even 
before I had learned what the plan was, I felt 
ready to pledge myself, for the interest shown 
by such a man as Professor Halleck is not to 
be lightly valued. When you learn what his 
plan was you will not be surprised to learn 
also that I very nearly forgot that I was a 
grown woman and a sedate school mistress, 
274 


HALLOW HEN 


and was ready to conduct myself very much 

as though I were fifteen instead of dear 

me, I nearly told a grave secret,” and Miss 
Grace laughed the happy little laugh that had 
so endeared her to her girls, and made them 
seem so very close to her. 

Professor Halleck’s plan is this : he knows 
that several of the girls will enter college 
from this school, and that for some of them 
the expenses of college life will be somewhat 
of a tax.” Just then Miss Grace’s sharp 
eyes caught the toss of a head, but she ap- 
parently did not note it. For others, the 
expenses would not, of course, mean any tax 
whatever, and there are a few who will never 
need give themselves the least concern one 
way or the other, as there is not the least prob- 
ability that they will ever reach the point of 
considering whether the outlay necessary for 
a college career will be great or small,” and 
a quizzical expression came over her face, as 
she glanced hastily over those turned toward 
her. Some of my girls may win scholar- 
ships, and so the way along the flowery path 
of knowdedge will be made to blossom pro- 
lificly, but even with a scholarship, one needs 
a little “ anchor to windward,” and Professor 
275 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Halleck proposes placing one there in the 
form of a very substantial check which at the 
close of the school year will be placed in the 
hands of the girl whose record is nearest per- 
fection. Now can you imagine anything 
more generous, or better worth striving for 
than this? Nor will it end with this year, 
but will continue until the girl graduates from 
this school, and is ready to enter the college 
of her choice.” 

When Miss Grace ceased speaking one 
might have heard one’s breath and then the 
girls cried almost in a voice : “ The school 
cry for Professor Halleck! The school cry 
for Professor Halleck ! ” and up to the ceiling 
rose the yell: 

‘‘All, all, hear us call! We shout to the 
glory of Farwell Hall,” and the professor need 
have had no misgivings regarding the recep- 
tion of his proposal. 


276 


XXIV 

THE DAUGHTER OF THE 
BOARDING-HOUSE KEEPER 










CHAPTER XXIV 


The Daughter of the Boarding- 
house Keeper 

^ ^ OME on, Fern ; it’s high time we 
V settled down to business,” said 
Marion to her brother as he lay 
stretched upon the divan in his mother’s bed- 
room. 

“Don’t get excited, my beloved sister; 
there’s a heap of time to spare, and the little 
mother can’t dispense with her son’s society 
just yet. She does not often have the priv- 
ilege of enjoying it for a whole hour, and you 
wouldn’t have me dock off the hour, would 
you?” answered her brother as he reached 
over to give a tweak to the little lace head- 
dress which rested upon his mother’s soft 
white hair, for Mrs. Holt was one of those 
who are prematurely gray, and the snowy hair, 
surrounding her still youthful face, with its 
pretty curves and delicate coloring, was very 
lovely to look upon. 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


she made some sign to him so that he need 
not stop when he was back of my chair.” 

And thus was a little seed sowed which later 
would bring forth very bitter fruit. 

November was now well advanced and the 
girls were hard at work upon the examina- 
tions for the ending of the Fall term. The 
week before the term ended Miss Grace said 
to the girls one morning : 

I have a pleasant bit of information for 
my girls to-day and it is quite as gratifying 
to me as I feel sure it will be to them. You 
all know how deeply interested Professor Hal- 
leck has been in this school, and how very 
anxious he is that its record shall be a high 
one, and its pupils a credit to it. A few days 
ago he called upon me at my home, and said 
that he had a little plan to propose, which he 
hoped would meet with my approval, and in 
which I would co-operate with him. Even 
before I had learned what the plan was, I felt 
ready to pledge myself, for the interest shown 
by such a man as Professor Halleck is not to 
be lightly valued. When you learn what his 
plan was you will not be surprised to learn 
also that I very nearly forgot that I was a 
grown woman and a sedate school mistress, 
274 


HALLOW HEN 


and was ready to conduct myself very much 

as though I were fifteen instead of dear 

me, I nearly told a grave secret,” and Miss 
Grace laughed the happy little laugh that had 
so endeared her to her girls, and made them 
seem so very close to her. 

Professor Halleck’s plan is this : he knows 
that several of the girls will enter college 
from this school, and that for some of them 
the expenses of college life will be somewhat 
of a tax.” Just then Miss Grace’s sharp 
eyes caught the toss of a head, but she ap- 
parently did not note it. For others, the 
expenses would not, of course, mean any tax 
whatever, and there are a few who will never 
need give themselves the least concern one 
way or the other, as there is not the least prob- 
ability that they will ever reach the point of 
considering whether the outlay necessary for 
a college career will be great or small,” and 
a quizzical expression came over her face, as 
she glanced hastily over those turned toward 
her. “ Some of my girls may win scholar- 
ships, and so the way along the fiowery path 
of knowledge will be made to blossom pro- 
lificly, but even with a scholarship, one needs 
a little “ anchor to windward,” and Professor 

27s 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Halleck proposes placing one there in the 
form of a very substantial check which at the 
close of the school year will be placed in the 
hands of the girl whose record is nearest per- 
fection. Now can you imagine anything 
more generous, or better worth striving for 
than this? Nor will it end with this year, 
but will continue until the girl graduates from 
this school, and is ready to enter the college 
of her choice.” 

When Miss Grace ceased speaking one 
might have heard one^s breath and then the 
girls cried almost in a voice : “ The school 
cry for Professor Halleck! The school cry 
for Professor Halleck ! ” and up to the ceiling 
rose the yell: 

All, all, hear us call ! We shout to the 
glory of Farwell Hall,” and the professor need 
have had no misgivings regarding the recep- 
tion of his proposal. 


276 


XXIV 


THE DAUGHTER OF THE 
BOARDING-HOUSE KEEPER 





CHAPTEK XXIV 


The Daughter of the Boarding- 
house Keeper 

^ ^ OME on, Fern ; it^s high time we 
V settled down to business,’^ said 
Marion to her brother as he lay 
stretched upon the divan in his mother’s bed- 
room. 

“Don’t get excited, my beloved sister; 
there’s a heap of time to spare, and the little 
mother can’t dispense with her son’s society 
just yet. She does not often have the priv- 
ilege of enjoying it for a whole hour, and you 
wouldn’t have me dock off the hour, would 
you?” answered her brother as he reached 
over to give a tweak to the little lace head- 
dress which rested upon his mother’s soft 
white hair, for Mrs. Holt was one of those 
who are prematurely gray, and the snowy hair, 
surrounding her still youthful face, with its 
pretty curves and delicate coloring, was very 
lovely to look upon. 

279 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ I guess she will dispense with your so- 
ciety with equanimity if you continue to en- 
tertain her as you have been doing for the 
past half hour. My gracious, you have just 
made a fright of her,” cried Marion, as she 
came up to her mother to set the bit of lace 
straight upon her hair, re-arrange the fichu at 
her neck, which this scape-grace son had tilted 
rakishly to one side because he considered her 
entirely too proper, he said, and to remove 
from her back hair the feather which he had 
gone to the trouble to pull from the little desk 
duster in order to adorn his mother who 
would willingly have permitted her children 
to dress her up like a Topsy in the privacy of 
her own room, rather than make them feel 
that the dignity of years divided her from 
them, and that fun must be put aside in her 
presence. And they never in any way took 
advantage of their privileges, but to the outer 
world were the courteous, dignified son and 
daughter that brought a glow of pride to her 
cheek. 

“ See how little she appreciates my atten- 
tions to you. Mother,” said this big son, as he 
got himself into a sitting position, and leaned 
280 


THE DAUGHTER OF THE HOUSE 


over toward his mother whose chair stood 
close beside the couch. 

Mrs. Holt laid her hand upon the curly pate 
for a moment and smiled as she replied : 

“ It is the fate of some unfortunate crea- 
tures to go through life un-appreciated, and 
I have serious fears that you are destined to 
be one of them.” 

That^s a fact,” he said with an injured 
wag of his head, but what is it you want. 
Bun? Seems to me that I have a hazy im- 
pression that you have been urging me to some 
gigantic undertaking for the past half hour, 
and I wish you would express yourself clearly 
upon the subject. Lucidity, my dear sister, 
is a great virtue. By-the-way, Mother is that 
one of the virtues? ” 

“ I have an idea that the explanation will 
be lucid enough if you fail in your examina- 
tions this month, and that^s just what you 
will do if you don’t come straight upstairs 
and settle down to a good solid grind. Come 
along, you torment, for you promised to help 
me with my Latin, and the first thing we 
know the evening will be gone.” 

‘‘Mother! Did you hear that? It is her 
281 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Latin, not my Greek that is exercising this 
young woman, and all the time she has been 
sailing under false colors. Talk to her, 
Mother! Show her the evil of misrepresen- 
tation, or I shall have to do so.” 

Oh, go to Jericho, you great goose,” 
laughed Marion as she ran from the room and 
upstairs to prepare her lessons for the mor- 
row. Fernold arose to his feet^ gave a co- 
lossal stretch, and a vigorous shake. Then 
his expression changed, and leaning over his 
mothers chair he asked: 

‘‘ How do things go, little Mother? I 
wanted to get Bun out of the room before I 
asked a question or two. Is this business go- 
ing to be too much for you? Does Bun try 
to carry the entire establishment? ” 

Mrs. Holt took hold of her son^s hand and 
rested her face against it as though she de- 
rived strength from the strong young life be- 
side her, and answered: 

^^Thus far all goes very happily, dear. 
Mrs. Snow and her daughter could not be 
more considerate, and seem delighted with 
everything. Marion is throwing a little more 
‘weight into the collar’ than is absolutely 
necessary, but she will soon settle down to 
282 


THE DAUGHTER OF THE HOUSE 


the regular routine, I think, and find it easier 
than she believes it can be. It is the nervous 
eagerness to spare me just now that is urging 
her on, but I hope that when she sees that I 
am not making a burden of this enterprise that 
she will cease to do so.” 

“ I wish Father would let me give up Co- 
lumbia and go in for business. Then I could 
add to the exchequer, instead of knocking the 
bottom clean out of the concern,” said Fernold 
with considerable feeling. “ By Jove, it 
makes me just sick to see the old gentleman 
pegging away, and going down to the office 
day after day and sometimes not getting back 
till all hours, while a great strapping fellow 
like myself comes home to be cuddled by his 
mother. Say Mummy, don’t you think he 
will let me turn in after the first of the year? 
Can’t 5you bring him around to it? ” 

I am afraid that I shall prove a very poor 
advocate for your cause, dear, because I am 
quite as anxious as Father to have you finish 
your college course if it can possibly be com- 
passed. You know that Father set aside a 
certain sum for that purpose the first year 
you entered school, saying that no matter 
what happened that it should never be tam- 
283 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


pered with, and it never has been. It is still 
there for its purpose, and we should both feel 
that we were robbing our son of his birth- 
right if we were to deny him the education 
to which he is rightfully entitled.” 

“ Well it does seem a hanged shame that I 
can’t do something at this crisis,” cried Fern- 
old, “ and I believe that there is, if I could 
only get my wits to work. Well I’ll go up 
now and give Bun a boost. She’s keen to 
come out on top in the race for Professor 
Halleck’s class prize. Hope she’ll win it, by 
Jove, and I’ll do all I can to make her. Good- 
night, Mummy; guess I won’t show up again, 
for I’ve some good solid digging to do on my 
own account after I’ve helped Bun over her 
thank-you-ma’rm,” and the big son bent down 
to kiss the frail little mother who was doing 
her brave best to keep for him the home in 
which he was born. 

Fernold mounted the stairs leading to “ Sky 
Parlor” with his hands thrust deep into his 
trousers pockets, and singing in an absent- 
minded sort of way : “ I have crossed through 
lands Hebraic, I have cursed in tongues ar- 
chaic, I have met the gentle heathen and Cir- 
cissian maidens fair.” This was one of his 
284 


THE DAUGHTER OF THE HOUSE 


college songs, and for some unaccountable 
reason usually went jingling through his 
head, to fall in a deep baritone voice from his 
lips whenever he was particularly perplexed 
over something. As he reached the top of the 
last flight Marion called out in a laughing 
voice : 

What is bothering the globe trotter now? 
Has he gotten as far as the Pyramids yet? ” 

Just begun upon the flrst step,” laughed 
Fernold, as he came into the room. How 
goes it. Bun? Deep in Caesar?” and drop- 
ping into the chair beside her at the study 
table, he was soon lost in the work upon which 
she was engaged, and helping her over the 
rough places. 

For more than an hour silence reigned in 
the room, and the little clock upon the mantel 
had already rung out the half hour past nine 
when Marion straightened up in her chair, 
pushed her hair back from her forehead, and 
said with some feeling: 

There! If that paper is not correct I cer- 
tainly can’t make it so, for I have gone over 
it half a dozen times and can’t find a single 
error, and you say it is all right too, and it 
all rests upon this first examination.” 

285 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


It’s first class, Bunny-foot, and yon’s a 
trump! Go in and win with my blessing. 
Now get along to bed or the little mother 
will be uneasy. I’m in for a two or three 
hours’ cram and can’t have such a frivilous 
thing as you near me. Scoot ! ” and he gave 
a tweak to her heavy braid. 

You’d better give me time to gef my 
things out of your way, or you won’t have 
room to spread out your usual sea of papers.” 

She gathered up her belongings, and crossed 
the room to put them into a large, old-fash- 
ioned secretary which they shared in common 
for stowing away their school and college 
properties, for their desks were reserved for 
social letter writing and such dainty require- 
ments. The secretary had stood for years in 
Mr. Holt’s office, but when business troubles 
overtook him, he felt that several changes 
lessening the expenses of the office were de- 
sirable, and rented a part of the floor occupied 
by his firm to someone else. This necessitated 
getting his own belongings into a smaller 
space, and the old secretary, which had been 
used as a receptacle for odds and ends in the 
way of papers, was sent to his home and 
placed in the room his son and daughter were 
286 


THE DAUGHTER OF THE HOUSE 


to use for their study. Then its very exist- 
ence passed out of Mr. Holt’s mind. 

“ Whew ! What a lot of dust manages to 
collect in this thing!” cried Marion, as she 
pushed the drawer in. “ The first chance I 
get I’ll give it a thorough cleaning.” 

And find an unsuspected will in a secret 
drawer naming you the heiress of a fortune, 
left you by some long forgotten relative, who 
has been mould these hundred years.” 

Of course; or rare and costly jewels which 
will enrich me for life, and put the Halleck 
contest completely out of sight,” laughed 
Marion, as she turned from the secretary. 

Good-night, Fern. Wish you didn’t have 
to grind, but could go to your downy couch 
as I am going.” 

Don’t want to, thank you. Ten o^clock 
is a good hour for kids, but for a man, the 
< wee sma’ hours ’ will do. Good-night, Bun.” 

“ MAN ! Don’t we think we’re ancient, 
though ! ” 

Thanksgiving was near at hand, and the 
examinations for the Fall term had just come 
to an end. It was Friday afternoon, and 
Miss Grace, who had never forgotten what 
examinations meant to her when she was a 
287 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


school-girl, had lost no time in making out 
her reports, for she felt sure that under the 
circumstances, the girls would be more than 
ever anxious concerning the outcome of this 
one, for only those whose papers were abso- 
lutely perfect in this trial examination, would 
be eligible for the Halleck contest and every- 
thing hinged upon them. That she could 
spare them a good bit of nerve strain by 
letting them know their fates at an early date 
she felt sure. After the last recitation that 
afternoon she rang her little assembly bell, 
and twenty or more girls came promptly “ to 
attention.” 

The examinations had not, of course, been 
confined to this one class, as all the pupils in 
the school were examined quarterly, but it 
was this class alone, the one from which the 
girls upon the following year were to grad- 
uate, which would enter the contest for the 
Halleck prize, and many a fiuttering heart 
went pit-a-pat beneath a pretty gown. 

It seems to me,” said Miss Grace, as she 
rose from her chair upon the little raised dais 
on which her desk stood, that we should have 
three or four Professor Halleck^s to scatter 
rewards about this school, for the most dififi- 
288 


THE DAUGHTER OF THE HOUSE 


cult question to decide is this one; what are 
we to do when more than one of my girls 
comes through her examinations with such fly- 
ing colors? Of the twenty- three papers upon 
my desk but three are failures, and the others 
range from fair, good, excellent to perfection ; 
two of the latter. I am sure I do not know 
whether I shall be able to conduct myself with- 
out vain-glory if my girls continue to do me 
such credit,” and Miss Grace’s face wore a 
very happy expression indeed. I will read 
the names of those girls whose papers were 
absolutely correct They are, Marion Holt, 
and — Estelle Hopkins. Estelle, I congratu- 
late you.” 

“ Oh, it is easy enough if one cares to try 
for it. Of course, I do not care for the money, 
but I may as well prove that I am capable of 
winning the honor, if I choose to,” was the 
rather uncalled for reply. 

My goodness, I didn’t find it so awfully 
easy,” said Marion Holt impulsively. 

Did you do the work entirely alone, 
Marion?” asked Miss Grace. 

^^All with the exception of such parts as 
you always let us ask you about Miss Grace. 
When I came to those I asked my brother, 
289 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


and he explained them to me. Was that 
fair? 

“ Perfectly fair. Did all the others work 
upon the same principle?” and Miss Grace 
looked sharply toward a certain seat. 

In almost every instance the desired an- 
swer was promptly given, but from one seat 
none came. 

I shall not return the papers of the two 
successful competitors,” said Miss Grace in 
conclusion, “ but shall send them to Professor 
Halleck on Monday in order that he may have 
proof positive of their merit.” 


290 


XXV 

MARION’S MISFORTUNE 


CHAPTER XXV 


Marion s Misfortune 

«X]r THAT are you going to do to- 
morrow morning? asked Mar- 
ion, as she and Sunshine left 
the big house in which Miss Grace had 
conducted her school so successfully ever 
since the death of its builder and former 
owner eight or nine years before. It was a 
monstrous house for a private family, having 
more the appearance of a hotel, and had been 
built by a man much given to display. From 
the beginning it had been known as FarwelPs 
Folly, but since Miss Grace had leased it for 
school purposes, the word Hall had been sub- 
stituted. There was the main entrance upon 
the avenue, and a side entrance upon the 
street. 

“ I have got to come down here for an hour 
or so to practice with Prof. Meisinger, for he 
is anxious to have us work up our numbers 
for Christmas. I am to be here at eleven. 

293 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Nina comes at nine, and Florence at ten,’^ 
answered Sunshine. 

“ I hoped that you would be able to run 
down to our house for the morning.” 

I am afraid that I can’t, for I am very 
anxious to come up to time at our next 
Musicale, and unless I work hard I shall make 
a regular mess of it. This examination con- 
test has driven everything out of my head, 
and I have let the music wait.” 

“ I know it ! So have I. And after all you 
did not gain anything by your hard work. It 
is just too bad.” 

Yes, indeed I did,” cried Sunshine. I’m 
as wise as an owl, and have the satisfaction 
of knowing that your first step has landed 
you just where I wanted to see you land.” 

Of course,” laughed Marion. I do be- 
lieve that you are better pleased to see me 
win than you would have been to win your- 
self.” 

Why of course I am ! Why shouldn’t I 
be? I shall go to college anyway, but you 
have all had enough to worry you without 
having to worry about that too.” 

I haven’t gone yet, and may never get 
294 


MARION'S MISFORTUNE 


there after all. Estelle may outshine the 
school.’^ 

Estelle ! How do you suppose she ever 
happened to come out without a single 
error?” asked Sunshine, for Estelle^s pre- 
vious record would never have led her school- 
mates to believe that her examination paper 
would reflect such glory upon her. 

I am sure I do not know,” answered 
Marion. Well, I must run home now. 
Good-by,” and the girls parted to go their 
separate ways. 

Good-by, Mees Crowell. I am much 
pleeze wiz zis hour. You haf done goot work. 
You vill success haf,” said Professor Meis- 
inger, when Sunshine had flnished her hour^s 
work with him upon the following morning. 

Thank you Professor ; I shall try for it 
any way. I think I love music better than 
anything else.” 

You are yourself ze museek. You are one 
happy leetle song all day already. A little 
song what will come warble, warble, warble, 
so; chust like ze birds what seeng, seeng be- 
cause zey can^t all ze time help it,” and the old 
Professor smiled upon his favorite pupil. 

295 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Sunshine laughed her rippling little laugh, 
and gathering up her music started to leave 
the room, the Professor crying after her: 

There, there! What do I tell you? It is 
chust the merry laugh ; ^ ha, ha, ha-l-M-a,^ as 
ze birds. I told you so.” 

Sunshine made her way down stairs, and 
was just about to leave the building when 
she happened to think of a piece of music 
which she wished to take home with her to 
play to her mother that evening, and went 
back to the music room which was upon the 
second floor. It was a large room with four 
pianos in it, and just off it in a small room 
were the music shelves where sheet upon sheet 
of music, and music books and pamphlets of 
every description were kept. Several of the 
girls were at liberty to take from the shelves 
whatever music they needed for special prac- 
tice, and were only required to leave in the 
register the name of the pieces taken, and the 
dates upon which they were taken, or re- 
turned. 

As Sunshine passed through the large room, 
she caught a glimpse of someone leaving the 
small room by the door leading from it into 
the hall. She could not at first distinguish 
296 


MARION^S MISFORTUNE 


who it was, for the hall was darker than the 
bright music room. But a little way down 
it was a large mirror, and as the person passed 
it. Sunshine saw clearly reflected in it, Es- 
telle Hopkins. 

How funny that she should be here this 
morning, when she does not take lessons at 
the school,’’ said Sunshine to herself, and 
then called out: 

“ Good morning, Estelle. Aren’t you lost 
way down here this morning? ” But no re- 
ply was made and Estelle slipped down the 
stairs as quickly as she could go. 

Sunshine selected the music she wanted; 
recorded it in the register and then went upon 
her homeward way with never another thought 
about Estelle. 

What can be the matter with Miss Grace 
to-day? ” said Marion in a low voice to Sun- 
shine whose seat she shared. She looks so 
distressed and sober. I wonder what can 
have happened.” 

Perhaps she is not feeling well,” was 
whispered back. 

It was the last period upon the following 
Monday and in half an hour the school would 
be dismissed. Several of the girls had com- 
297 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


mented upon Miss Grace’s unusual expression, 
for ordinarily their principal’s face was one 
to encourage the most despondent. 

Just before closing hour Miss Grace rang 
her bell, and the girls glanced up in surprise 
at the unusual act. When all was quiet she 
asked : 

“ Will my girls kindly give me their atten- 
tion for a few moments, for I am much 
troubled and perplexed over something which 
has occurred since we closed the school on 
Friday afternoon. First let me ask a ques- 
tion: Marion did you take home your exam- 
ination paper on Friday night?” 

Marion turned slightly pale as she an- 
swered : 

No, Miss Grace. You know you said that 
Estelle and I were not to do so, because you 
wished to send them to Professor Halleck to- 
day.” 

Exactly. Has anyone disturbed the pa- 
pers which were in my desk? ” continued Miss 
Grace, and the girls were quick to feel the 
shade of severity which had come into the 
usual sweet tone of Miss Grace’s voice. 

^^No! No! No! Certainly not! Of 
298 


MARIONS MISFORTUNE 


course we have not ! ” came in a chorus from 
all sides. 

“ Then I am unable to explain the disap- 
pearance of Marion’s paper. I have asked 
the Janitor whether he disturbed anything 
when he cleaned on Saturday, but he assures 
me that he did not. I have searched in every 
place I can think of, but all to no avail, and 
I am sorely distressed about it. Marion you 
have no doubt got your test papers, and can, 
if absolutely necessary, make another copy, 
but it will be a great undertaking after all 
your weeks of labor, and I cannot bear to 
think that you must do so.” 

Marion’s voice trembled with nervousness 
as she said : 

No, Miss Grace, I haven’t a single one. 
I destroyed them all after I copied the work, 
for they wxre only in pencil, of course, and 
in such a scratched up condition from cor- 
recting that I thought it would be better to 
get them out of the way than to keep them.” 

Oh, I am so very, very sorry ! ” said 
Miss Grace in a voice which conveyed the 
sympathy she felt for her pupil. After a 
moment’s pause she added : I shall write a 
299 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


note to Professor Halleck explaining to him 
what has occurred, and begging his permission 
for a week’s time in which to make a thorough 
search for the missing paper, and let us hoi>e 
that before the end of the week it may be re- 
covered. I trust I need not try to impress 
upon any of my girls the grave importance of 
this matter. It is more than the mere loss of 
an examination paper; the entire future of 
one of your fellow pupils may rest upon the 
recovery of this paper, for Marion has no 
longer any way of proving her standing in the 
class, and to do the work over from memory 
would be very nearly impossible, particularly 
after having sustained such a disappointment. 
Our brains and our bodies require some time 
to recover from such a shock. But let us all 
hope for the best, do all in our power to assist 
in the search, and to help Marion in every 
possible way.” 

We will ! We will ! We will ! ” came 
from all sides, and the girls arose from their 
seats as Miss Grace rang the bell for dis- 
missal, and all crowded around Marion to ex- 
press their sympathy. 

The girl said very little, but turned in- 
stinctively to Sunshine. Laying her hand 
300 


MARION^S MISFORTUNE 


upon her friend^s arm she said ; Would you 
mind if I walked home with you? I don^t 
want to go home just yet, because Mamma 
would surely suspect something, and I don’t 
want her to know anything about this. I 
want to have a little talk with your mother, 
may I?” 

Of course, you may ! Come right along 
this minute.” 

“ Yes, go home with her ! It will do you 
good ! ” cried several of the girls, for Sun- 
shine was a sort of fair weather clerk ” to 
all of them, and they felt that she could do 
more for Marion than anyone else just then. 

Florence, would you mind leaving a 
note for Mamma as you go by the house? ” 
asked Marion, as ever thoughtful for her 
mother. 

Of course I will leave it, with pleasure,” 
wa^ the answer, and Marion scribbled off a 
little note to tell her mother that she had gone 
home with Sunshine, and would return at five. 

As they drew near Sunshine’s home they 
saw Mrs. Crowell in the window watching for 
her. It was only one of the little acts, rarely 
omitted, that helped to develop the inborn 
beauty of the girl’s life. They waved their 
301 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


hands to her, and a few seconds later entered 
the room where she stood. Sunshine ran to 
her to kiss each cheek, and cry: 

Oh, Mamma, we are in such trouble, and 
have come to ask you what to do, for Marion 
needs your help, and you will give it, I know.^^ 
Trouble, Sweetheart? Something has hap- 
pened to Marion?” asked Mrs. Crowell, as 
she drew Marion to her side and kissed her. 

Why what is it? Eemove your hats and 
jackets, and then we will see what can be 
done. I am very sorry to hear it. Come right 
down and have a cosy luncheon with me, 
dearie, and we can then talk it all over.” 

The girls laid their things aside, ran up 
to Sunshine’s room to remove all traces of 
school, and then joined Mrs. Crowell at the 
luncheon table, where they gave her a minute 
account of what had happened. She listened 
very closely, occasionally dropping a question 
or two, and when they ended said : 

This is truly very distressing, Marion, but 
perhaps it will end well after all. Now the 
question to answer is: how can that paper 
have managed to vanish so quickly? and it is 
one we must do our best to solve! ” 

By this time they had finished their lunch- 
302 


MARION^ S MISFORTUNE 


eon, and rising from the table Mrs. Crowell 
said: 

Suppose we go upstairs to the library ; 
that seems to be our special harbor when per- 
plexities assail us, so we may be able to come 
to some wise conclusions if we go there now.” 

“ Yes, so we will ! ” cried Sunshine, as she 
slipped her arm about Marion^s waist, and 
followed her mother from the room. 


303 




XXVI 

SUNSHINE MAKES A DIS- 
COVERY 


/ 




CHAPTER XXVI 


Sunshine Makes a Discovery 

A nother week had passed and still 
there was no trace of Marion^s pa- 
per. Her brother was the only mem- 
ber of her family whom she told of her loss, 
and he, as he expressed it, was “ all broke 
up ” over it. 

“ Oh, I say. Bun, but this is a shame ! 
There’s some queer business about it I am 
willing to bet my hat. Have you had a fuss 
with any of the girls, or done anything to stir 
them up?” he demanded. 

Not a single thing that I can think of. 
But I don’t believe that there is one in the 
school who would do such a mean thing.” 

DunnOy my infant. Girls and fellows can 
do confounded mean things sometimes, if 
they’re not solid mahogany,” said Fernold 
with a sage wag of his head. 

Well, whatever you do, don’t let it get to 
Papa’s or Mamma’s ears,” cried Marion. 
That’s so. It would bowl ’em over com- 


307 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


pletely, wouldn’t it. And, say, Bun, have you 
noticed how worried the old gentleman has 
looked for a week or two? Do you suppose 
he can have gotten wind of this fracas any- 
way? ” 

“Not a sign, but I have noticed what you 
say, and I am very much troubled about it, 
too. I am afraid that something new has 
developed, and he is trying to keep it from 
Mamma.” 

This conversation took place in “ Sky Par- 
lor ” the following Thursday evening. The 
next day the week granted for the recovery of 
the missing paper would end, for Miss Grace 
felt that in justice to Estelle the delay must 
not be any longer, and on the following Mon- 
day morning the paper must be mailed to Pro- 
fessor Halleck. 

There was more than one sober face when 
the hour for dismissal arrived that Friday 
afternoon, for, although Marion had never 
been the universal favorite that Sunshine had 
been, she had many warm friends in the school 
who sympathized with her very sincerely. 
But it was Sunshine who was the most deeply 
distressed by what had happened, and who 
had hoped until the very last moment that 
308 


SUNSHINE MAKES A DISCOVERT 


when Friday came the missing papers would 
come with it. 

As though the day too was in sympathy 
with them, the clouds hung low, and a steady 
drip, drip of rain made everything dull and 
dismal to look upon. The leaves had nearly 
all fallen from the trees in the Park and the 
branches stood out stark and bare against the 
leaden background. 

“ You are the only nice thing that I have 
seen this whole day,” cried Sunshine as she 
greeted her mother upon her return from 
school. 

Why my little Sunshine ! ” cried Mrs. 
Crowell in genuine surprise, for such a frame 
of mind in this happy little daughter was 
something entirely new. 

“ No, I’m not Sunshine one bit to-day, I’m 
just nothing in this world but a cloud bank, 
a thick, foggy one that you can’t see through. 
Oh, Moddie, isn^t there something that we 
can do for Marion? It seems as though I 
just could not let Monday come and her paper 
not be found and sent when Estelle’s is ! ” 
and she put her head down upon her mother’s 
shoulder with something very like a sob. 

Dear little daughter,” said Mrs. Crowell 

309 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


soothingly. “ As soon as we have had our 
luncheon we will sit down in front of the 
library fire together and have a serious talk 
about it. We have tried so many times al- 
ready to reach some conclusion to act upon, 
but perhaps this time we shall find the right 
one, who knows? ” and Mrs. Crowell smiled 
encouragingly into the woe-begone face so 
close to her own. 

Now tell me the whole story once more 
from beginning to end,’^ said Mrs. Crowell 
when an hour later she Avas seated in a low 
chair before the log fire in the library, with 
Sunshine snuggling upon a cushion at her feet, 
her arms upon her mother’s lap, and her face 
propped upon them intently watching every 
expression of her mother’s face, as though 
from it she expected to gain hope. 

Sunshine began from the moment Miss 
Grace had told them of Professor Halleck’s 
offer, relating every little incident that had 
occurred from that moment up to the present 
one. “ You see,” she said, “ it all means so 
much to Marion, and so very little to Estelle, 
for she has often said that she did not intend 
to spend the best years of her life shut up in 
college when she could come out after leaving 
310 


SUNSHINE MAKES A DISCOVERT 


Miss Grace^s and have a gay time. And she 
had been far from perfect in her recitations, 
Mamma. I really don’t see how she could 
have had such an examination paper,” and 
the pretty head shook in perplexity. 

“ Have Estelle and Marion ever had any 
misunderstanding that you know of, dear?” 

‘‘ Not a single word ! Marion is too digni- 
fied to quarrel with anyone, you know.” 

Has Estelle made any more remarks re* 
garding Marion’s clothes, or her reduced cir- 
cumstances? ” 

Why how did you know that she had ever 
made any? ” asked Sunshine in surprise. I 
never told you which girl said those things.’’ 

Mrs. Crowell laughed a soft little laugh as 
she took Sunshine’s face in her hands, and 
kissed her forehead softly. “ No, you never 
mentioned any names, but I am a mind reader 
sometimes, you know.” 

You can read mine all right enough. I 
am sure of that. What a mercy it is I haven’t 
any secrets,” she answered with a laugh. 

“ No,” she continued, the only least little 
bit of a thing that I can think of happened the 
night of our dance, and I think that Marion 
got for a partner the boy Estelle wanted to 

311 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


dance with, although I am sure that Marion 
did not know that Estelle wanted him.” And 
then she told her mother what little she knew 
of the affair. 

Did any of the girls have occasion to go 
to the school between Friday and Monday? ” 

“ Only those who went to Professor Meis- 
inger Saturday morning, as I did. I guess 
they are not so anxious to go that they will go 
on Saturday. Nina and Florence went in just 
as I did, for although my lesson was not until 
eleven, I wanted to hear them play and went 
early. They left as soon as their lessons 
ended, and I saw them go out the side door. 
There wasn’t another girl in the build — ” and 
here Sunshine came to a sudden pause and sat 
straight up looking into her mother’s face as 
though she had seen a ghost. 

“ What is it, dear? ” 

“ Mamma, Estelle was at the school that 
morning! She went out of the music library 
just as I was going in it to get that Chopin 
Nocturne I wanted to play for you and Papa,” 
and over Sunshine’s face came a scared look. 

‘‘You are quite, quite positive that it was 
Estelle? ” asked Mrs. Crowell gravely. 

“ Just as sure as I am that I am sitting 
312 


SUNSHINE MAKES A DISCOVERr 


here this minute. Why I spoke to her, al- 
though she didn’t answer. Oh, Mamma, what 
can it mean? What can it mean? ” and Sun- 
shine arose to her knees and clasped both her 
mother’s hands. 

It may mean merely a coincidence, al- 
though it is curious that she should have been 
there, when she has nothing whatever to call 
her to the music room, you say.” 

No, nothing; for she takes lessons at 
home, and only the Farwell Hall girls are at 
liberty to take the music.” 

Sweetheart, this is not a pleasant affair, 
for no matter which way we go about trying 
to right it, we must bring unhappiness to 
someone. In justice to your friend you must 
do all within your power to help her when she 
is in trouble. Suspicion points toward an- 
other schoolmate, and should it prove with 
foundation, you must right this wrong at any 
cost, but the question is, — how? If these pa- 
pers have been tampered with by Estelle it is 
a very serious matter indeed, and she must 
bear the consequences of her act if the truth 
comes to light. To arouse suspicion toward 
her until we are absolutely certain that she 
has done wrong would be the grossest injus- 

313 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


tice. And that is just where the matter 
stands. I hardly need warn you against say- 
ing one single word that might lead her into 
trouble, I know, but on the other hand, I must 
urge you to let nothing escape you, and then 
come straight to me and we will discuss it from 
all sides. You say that you saw Estelle leave 
the music library. There may not be the 
slightest connection between her appearance 
there and the loss of Marion’s paper, but on 
the other hand, there may be great signifi- 
cance in it. When you go there to-morrow 
morning, make some excuse to remain after 
the others are gone, and then make as thorough 
a search as possible. Poor little lassie, your 
position is not an enviable one, but let us hope 
that all will end well,” and Mrs. Crowell 
smoothed back the hair from the fiushed face. 
They sat talking for more than an hour 
longer, and when they arose from their seats. 
Sunshine said : What in this world should 
I ever do without such a dear little mother 
to help me out of this dreadful state of affairs. 
I should never in this world have been able to 
think it all out all by myself.” 

I should hardly wish to see a forty-year- 

314 


SUNSHINE MAKES A DISCOVERY 


old head upon fifteen-year-old shoulders,” said 
Mrs. Crowell. 

It seemed to Sunshine that a music lesson 
had never dragged as did the one she was 
crawling through with Professor Meisinger 
the next morning. 

“ I haf fear that you are not well feeling 
zees morning,” cried the Professor at last, 
looking into her sober face, as the lesson drew 
near its end. 

“ I am afraid I don^t feel very well. Pro- 
fessor Meisinger,” answered Sunshine, with 
rather a wan smile. 

“ Zat ees soo! I full well know it! You 
now will stop right off and go straight away 
home.” 

Sunshine arose from the music stool, and 
put on her things, the good Professor watch- 
ing her with much concern in his face. Then 
he bade her good morning and went his way. 
As he left Sunshine drew a breath of relief, 
and said: “Now for it, but oh, dear, I wish 
somebody else could find it if it is going to be 
found.” 

She went into the library intending to re- 
place the music she had taken the previous 

31S 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Saturday. There was a long tier of shelves, 
with the music arranged upon them in alpha- 
betical order, the A^s being at the top. In 
order to reach them Sunshine was obliged to 
push in front of them the little ladder used 
for the purpose. She clambered up, replaced 
her Chopin sheet, and was about to descend 
when she bethought her of something her 
father had mentioned as an old favorite. The 
composer^s name began with A and she went 
a step higher to reach it. There was a larger 
pile than usual upon that shelf, and as Sun- 
shine reached up to take them down, the 
ladder shook, and in trying to catch hold of 
something to steady herself she lost her hold 
upon the pile of music and down it fell upon 
the floor, scattering in every direction. 

Oh, dear ! ” cried Sunshine as she scram- 
bled down after it,” now I have done a fine 
thing, and no mistake!” and she began gath- 
ering up the scattered sheets. She was just 
opening a title jacket to replace within it the 
scattered leaves of the music, when her eye 
fell upon a closely written paper, and the next 
second her scream brought the Janitor run- 
ning upstairs to see what had happened. 

“ Are you hurt. Miss? ” he cried, taking in 
316 



» » 


“ HER EYE? FELL UPON A CLOSELY WRITTEN PAPER 

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SUNSHINE MAKES A DISCOVERT 


at a glance the scattered sheets of music, and 
the girl seated upon the floor in the midst 
of it. 

‘‘No, only frightened a little, Johnson. I 
nearly had a bad fall from the ladder.” 

“Too bad! Too bad!” said the Janitor, 
assisting her to rise. “ Don’t you bother with 
the music, I can get it back in its place all 
right. Miss.” 

“ Thank you. I shall be glad to go right 
home,” and gathering up her precious burden. 
Sunshine fled from the house and almost ran 
home. 

Kushing up to her mother’s room she flung 
herself into the startled woman’s arms cry- 
ing: 

“ Oh, Mamma ! Mamma ! I have found 
Marion’s paper! I have found Marion’s pa- 
per ! ” 


317 






XXVII 

MY LITTLE SUNSHINE 


CHAPTER XXVII 


My Little Sunshine" 

CC T HAVE tried to spare you this, 
I Isabel,’^ said Mr. Holt as he sat in 
their bed-room the afternoon of 
the day upon which Sunshine was making her 
discoveries at the school. “ I hoped that this 
new difficulty could be overcome as the others 
have been, but I am afraid that it cannot be 
done. In every other instance our creditors 
have shown themselves ready to grant me all 
the time I felt that we needed, and have been 
most considerate, but in this instance I have 
found it a very difficult matter to gain any 
time, and now they are pressing the firm very 
hard. Of course, any settlement with these 
people just now is simply out of the question, 
for we are only just recovering from the first 
blow, and I see no way of doing anything fur- 
ther for several months,” and Mr. Holt looked 
very troubled and worn as he paced up and 
down the floor. 

Mrs. Holt sat in her low chair near the win- 
321 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


dow, the sweet face drawn and weary, for she 
had suspected that some new trouble was de- 
veloping, yet hesitated to ask her husband 
what it was, feeling sure that he would tell 
her when he felt that it was wise to do so. 

“What do you think I can get for this 
house, Robert? ” she asked quietly. But Mr. 
Holt answered quickly: 

“ No, not that Isabel. I shall never touch 
your property, for it is all that you and the 
children have. Moreover, it would be of very 
little help, for the most we could ever hope to 
get for it would be $55,000, and I need five 
times that, at least.’^ 

“ Oh, Robert is it so bad as that? ” asked 
Mrs. Holt, turning a shade paler. 

Mr. Holt paused in his walk, and stopped 
to rest his hand upon his wife’s shoulder, as 
he replied: 

“ I am afraid that it is, Isabel.” 

She leaned her head against him for a mo- 
ment, as though utterly weary, and he stroked 
back the soft white hairs very gently. Neither 
spoke a word for a moment, and then the 
silence was broken by someone running rap- 
idly upstairs. They looked at each other and 
smiled, Mr. Holt saying : “ That is Sunshine’s 
322 


Mr LITTLE SUNSHINE 


step. She must have some wonderful piece 
of news for Marion, or she would not be in 
such a hurry. Dear children, how happy they 
have been in each other’s friendship. God 
bless them ! ” and a catch came in Mr. Holt’s 
voice. 

“ Don’t ask me one word, only take it ! Take 
it ! Take it ! ” cried Sunshine as she burst 
into the study and thrust the missing exam- 
ination paper in Marion’s hand. 

Oh, Sunshine! What is it? It can’t be! 
It can’t be! Where did you find it?” and 
Marion nearly wept for joy. 

I can’t tell you a single thing about it be- 
cause I promised Mamma that I would not 
until she had had time to speak to Miss Grace. 
She ordered the carriage right after luncheon, 
and we started at once. Kobert left Mamma 
at Miss Grace’s house and then brought me 
here to tell you the news and give this blessed 
paper right into your own hands, for I was 
nearly wild with excitement, and couldn’t 
keep it from you another moment. And, oh! 
Marion I am so glad ! So glad ! So glad ! ” 
cried Sunshine, just dancing about the room 
in her ecstasy. 


323 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ Yon can never, never know what you have 
done for me, Eloise Crowell,” said Marion 
solemnly, “ and I have not, and never in this 
world shall have any way of repaying you.” 

Good gracious me ! As though I wanted 
you to. Don^t you suppose that I am as glad 
as you are? ” 

“ Yes, you are just as glad, but you can 
never know how much it all means to me for 
more reasons than just this paper,” answered 
Marion, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. 
“ Pretty soon we will go down stairs and tell 
Papa and Mamma all about it, but I don’t 
want to interrupt them just now, for they 
were talking over business matters when I 
skipped away up here to do something that 
I have been trying to get at for the last month. 
You see I am just in the midst of it now,” 
and Marion pointed to the drawers which she 
had taken out of the old secretary, and was 
wiping out and dusting. 

Well let me help, then. I am in such a 
state of excitement that I couldn’t sit still if 
I wanted to,” and Sunshine squatted herself 
upon the floor beside a queer shaped, deep 
drawer, and commenced removing some of 
Marion’s papers and books from it. 

324 


“Mr LITTLE SUNSHINE'^ 


Marion turned to dust the shelves, and their 
tongues kept as busy as their fingers. 

When will your mother let you tell me 
all about finding my paper? ” asked Marion 
presently. 

“ I hope that she will tell you herself this 
afternoon. She said that she should come 
here just as soon as she had a talk with Miss 
Grace, whom she hoped would be at home. 
If she was not Mamma was to come right 
here, any way. She hasn’t come yet, so 
I feel sure that she found Miss Grace. I 
am just wild to tell you all I know, but I can’t, 
of course. 

“ Well if this drawer isn’t the funniest one I 
have ever seen. Why it looks so deep that I 
thought it would hold a lot, and here I have 
come to the bottom already. No, it can’t 
really be the bottom, and it isn’t! Just look 
here,” and she lifted up a tiny ring hardly 
visible far in the back of it. Marion had come 
close to her, and was bending over her peering 
into the drawer, in which Sunshine was tug- 
ging at the ring. 

<<Why it has a false bottom!” she cried. 
“ Perhaps it holds the fortune that Fernold is 
forever teasing me about,” and she laughed 

325 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


the happiest laugh that she had laughed in a 
week. 

Whatever secret the drawer held it seemed 
loath to disclose it, for the bottom stuck tight 
fast. 

My goodness, I can never give this up 
now ! ” cried Sunshine. I have made one 
valuable discovery to-day, and, who knows, I 
may be upon the point of another. Here, you 
have just got to come out,” and she gave a 
mighty tug. Up came the bottom of the 
drawer, and over went Sunshine. Between the 
true and the false bottom was a space about 
four inches deep, and lying in it was a bundle 
of old newspapers. That was all, and when 
the girls saw them, they began to shout. 

Pray behold my fortune,” cried Marion. 

I am heiress to several ancient and for- 
gotten journals, doubtless placed in this 
drawer in the year One by some remote ances- 
tor whose deeds are set forth within their 
yellow pages. Do let us go down and show 
them to Papa, for I am sure he does not even 
know of their existence.” 

Oh, yes ! And tell them about the exam- 
ination papers too ! ” cried Sunshine enthu- 
siastically. 


326 


‘‘Mr LITTLE SUNSHINE^* 


Marion stepped across the room to get the 
paper from her desk, and Sunshine tucked the 
roll of old papers under her arm, where she 
speedily forgot all about them in her eager- 
ness to tell Mr. and Mrs. Holt the good news 
about Marion. 

“ May we come in? ” asked Marion, tapping 
upon her mother’s door. 

Surely you may,” answered her father. 

The two girls ran in, and both began to talk 
at once, until Mr. and Mrs. Holt were entirely 
bewildered. 

My dear young ladies,” said Mr. Holt 
smiling, “ may I beg that only one shall speak 
at a time, or that you will divide up the con- 
versation, and one of you pour your volume 
into my ears, and the other one give her atten- 
tion to Mamma? ” 

The girls laughed, and then settled down to 
give a lucid account of what had happened as 
far as they were at liberty to do so, or knew 
the facts. Mr. and Mrs. Holt listened very 
earnestly, and when they had finished Mr. 
Holt said : 

And it is your little friend here whom you 
have to thank for it all, is it Marion? ” and he 
placed his hand upon Sunshine’s hair. 

327 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


I know it,” answered Marion with a radi- 
ant smile. 

“ And to judge by appearances she has be- 
come either a literary woman, or a news boy. 
Which is it little girl?” 

Oh, I nearly forgot all about them ! ” cried 
Sunshine in dismay. “ I was helping Marion 
clean out the old secretary and came upon 
these quite by accident. They were in that 
funny drawer, that had two bottoms, and 
Marion thought that we ought to bring them 
down here to let you see them, even if they 
were nothing but a bundle of old papers,” and 
Sunshine handed them to Mr. Holt. As he 
took them a smile curved his handsome mouth, 
and he said : 

“ Well, well, well ; I had almost entirely for- 
gotten that strange man, and the placing of 
those old newspapers in the secretary for him. 
Dear me, it was soon after you were born, 
Marion, and he has been dead these five years. 
Do you remember old Bossel, Mamma? ” 

“Why certainly I do. Poor unfortunate 
man. He was his own worst enemy. How 
many times you befriended him, and took him 
back to work for you just because he had not 
a relative on earth. Why he must have been 
328 


LITTLE SUNSHINE'* 


with you nearly twenty years, was he not 
dear? ” 

Fully that, and a more faithful creature 
W’^hen sober I never knew. He came to me one 
day, and said : ‘ Mr. Holt; I want you to take 
these newspapers and keep them for me. Put 
them where they will be safe; safa Don^t let 
anybody have them, and if anything happens 
to me remember they are yours. ^ and tben he 
repeated: ^ Yours! Yours!’ I took them 
and placed them in that drawer before his 
eyes, showing him how to get them if lie ever 
wished to do so, for I knew that one of his bad 
turns was drawing on, and wanted to humor 
him. I believe he did go to the drawer once 
or twice in the course of the next five years, 
but he kept falling lower and lower until I 
despaired of ever reforming him. Then the 
end came, and I went to the police station to 
find all that was left of poor Bossel. He is 
buried out in our plot in Greenwood.” Mr. 
Holt paused, and seemed lost in deep thought, 
for these reminiscences brought back the days 
when business troubles were unknown, and he 
was always the first to aid those in distress. 

Well, I would open them now if I were 
you, dear,” said Mrs. Holt gently, and her 

329 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


husband began to untie the piece of tarred 
twine with which the papers were fastened to- 
gether. The first paper bore the date of ten 
years earlier, and the next a still earlier date. 
Mr. Holt smiled as he unrolled one after the 
other, until five or six lay upon the couch be- 
side him, and then he started and changed 
color, for lying in his hand was a large time- 
discolored envelope, sealed and addressed to 
himself. With trembling fingers he broke the 
seal, while the others bent over him, and be- 
gan to draw from it paper after paper. Gov- 
ernment bonds ; a bank-book ; shares in several 
railroads, some of them dated twenty years 
before, and now grown almost priceless. One 
after another they fell from his fingers and he 
looked from one to the other as one in a dream. 
Last of all came a will, duly signed and sealed, 
leaving him all this strange and enormous ac- 
cumulation of riches; amounting in all to 
more than $350,000. 

Then it was true,” he said almost in a 
whisper. “ He said again and again that he 
was not what he seemed to be, but could live 
differently if he only had strength of will to 
let stimulants alone. When he gave these 

330 


LITTLE SUNSHINE^* 


papers to me he said : ‘ Some day you will 
know how grateful I am to you for standing 
by me when everybody else is ready to kick 
me into the gutter. 1^11 get there fast enough 
without any help, and maybe some day you 
will find me there. God only knows ! ’ Think 
of it! Think of it! A wealthy man, and I 
never suspected that he had one cent. Time 
and again he has asked me to lend him ten 
cents. And, Isabel,” and Mr. Holt turned to- 
ward his wife who stood with her hands 
clasped in front of her, while the two girls 
were holding fast to each other as though they 
could not realize what had happened, “ think 
what it means to us now! Oh, my wife! My 
wife ! ” and forgetful of those present Mr. Holt 
arose to his feet, opened his arms and his wife 
with the little cry of one released from a heavy 
burden, fell into them. 

After a few moments Mr. Holt recovered 
himself, and turning toward Sunshine, looked 
at her with eyes that glistened, and said, as 
he drew her toward him : And my little 

Sunshine brought me this wonderful good 
fortune ! OUK little Sunshine ! True as ever 
to her name. A joy and blessing to all with 

331 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


whom she comes in contact. God bless you 
and keep you, my child,’’ and he kissed her 
very tenderly. 

It was all really true. Mr. Holt lost no 
time in placing the papers in the hands of his 
attorney with instructions to investigate all 
very carefully, and to leave no stone unturned 
to discover any relative poor Bossel might 
have possessed. But months went by, and 
none was found, nor did any ever come to 
light in after years, although Mr. Holt stood 
ready to do his duty by them should any be 
discovered. 

While they were talking Mrs. Crowell came 
for Sunshine, bringing with her the good news, 
or at least, feeling that she was now at liberty 
to disclose to Mr. and Mrs. Holt all that she 
had learned. After talking for some little 
time it was decided that nothing should ever 
be said to the other girls about it, further than 
that Marion’s paper had been discovered 
among some others. But wise Miss Grace suc- 
ceeded in getting to the bottom of the secret 
without letting anyone know, and when Pro- 
fessor Halleck opened the envelope but one 
girl’s examination papers was found within 
it. Then came some sudden changes in Mrs. 

332 


Mr LITTLE SUNSHINE 


Hopkin^s plans for the winter, and shortly be- 
fore Christmas she sailed for Europe, taking 
Estelle with her. Thanksgiving was now upon 
them, and Mr. and Mrs. Crowell with Sun- 
shine spent it with the Holts, and all felt that 
they had deep cause for thanks. 

After Thanksgiving the time fairly flew 
away, for Sunshine had many merry-makings, 
and before she knew it her trunk was being 
packed for her return to Meadington. 


333 


XXVIII 

ABIAH LAYS PLANS 


CHAPTER XXVIII 

Abiah Lays Plans 


I will too; every one on ’em. 

I ’Tain’t often I feel like cilibratin’ 
but I’m a>goin’ ter this time,” and 
Abiah wagged his head emphatically at Han- 
nah, who sat utterly dumbfounded by an an- 
nouncement he had just made. 

“ But how can you do it in this house? It 
is hardly large enough to entertain so many 
people comfortably, and you know that we 
never used to feel that we could have many 
others when we invited sister’s family at 
Thanksgiving.” 

Don’t care a cent what we used to think. 
We used to think a sight o’ things that we 
hain’t thought on fer a considerable time. This 
time it’s goin’ ter be a dance, and right here in 
this house too, if I have ter knock out a perti- 
tion ter make room fer the young folks ter 
kick about in. So jist set straight about 
a-makin the stuff fer it, will ye, an’ don’t be 
sparin’ of nothin’ neither. It’s the fust dance 

337 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


I ever give, and it’s a-goin’ ter be talked about 
if I know anything,” and after giving a de- 
cided thump upon the sitting-room table with 
his work-hardened fist, Abiah jammed his cap 
firmly upon his head, buttoned his ulster tight 
up to his chin and strode out of the room. 
Hannah heard the door slam, and a moment 
later saw Abiah drive out of the yard. Then 
she clasped her hands in her lap and fairly 
groaned. 

This little scene took place about ten days 
before Sunshine’s arrival for the Christmas 
holidays, and the conversation Hannah had 
just held with her spouse had left her well nigh 
speechless. 

Nor was it any wonder, for Abiah’s latest 
and wildest of all freaks was a dance to be 
given to the young people of the neighborhood, 
and every one was to be invited. Had he pro- 
posed giving a Buffalo Bill x>erformance with 
himself as that doughty character, and J erusha 
as the famous Wild West charger, Hannah 
could not have been more dismayed, for it 
seemed to her that one was quite as easy to 
get up as the other. Nor had Abiah left her 
in the least doubt as to what he expected to 
do himself, or what her share of the labor and 

338 


ABIAH LAYS PLANS 


entertainment would be. It was all to be done 
upon the most lavish scale he could conceive 
of, and neither trouble nor expense were to be 
spared. Hannah sat as one dazed, trying her 
best to understand the reason for this wild 
freak, and what had arisen to cause Abiah to 
loosen his purse strings in this utterly reckless 
manner, and the poor woman was completely 
appalled at the undertaking before her. To 
have refused point blank would not have been 
the slightest use, for if he were thwarted at one 
point, Abiah would be sure to turn even more 
erratic, and there was no telling where the 
freak would end. As Hannah still sat where 
Abiah had left her, a light tap came upon the 
outer door, and Mrs. Ellery came in. She was 
always a welcome visitor to Hannah, and now 
was more so than ever. Hannah still bore the 
traces of her dismay upon her usually placid 
face, and Mrs. Ellery was quick to notice them. 
Feeling morally certain that Abiah was the 
cause, she hesitated to speak, but said as 
though attributing Hannah^s depressed atti- 
tude to physical fatigue, 

“ Have you been doing even more tidying-up 
than usual this morning? You look tired, 
Mrs. Davis.’’ 


339 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


‘‘I think not/^ answered Hannah, coming 
back to present surroundings with a little 
start, ‘^but I believe I have not quite full 
possession of my senses to-day. Mr. Davis 
has just decided upon a most startling under- 
taking, and I have not entirely collected my 
wits at the announcement, I believe,” and 
Hannah arose from her chair, stepped quickly 
across the room and back again, as though to 
be sure that she was wide awake. 

Mrs. Ellery hardly knew whether to press 
the inquiry or not, for she was always ex- 
tremely cautious in her comments upon Abiah’s 
actions. But she did not have to ask this 
time, for Hannah was too overwhelmed by 
the thought of the undertaking before her to 
allow the subject to slip so quickly from her 
mind, and nearly caused Mrs. Ellery to fall in 
a faint by announcing that Abiah intended to 
give a dance to the entire youthful population 
of Meadington on the night of December 
fifteenth, and that he had even now gone to 
Boston to have his invitations printed. More- 
over, Hannah was to begin preparations with- 
out a moment^s delay, and that Abiah had 
given minute instructions regarding them. 

When all had been told the two women sat 


340 


ABIAH LAYS PLANS 


facing each other with resignation depicted 
upon one countenance and a wild desire to 
burst into laughter upon the other. 

What do you suppose has put such a no- 
tion in Mr. Davis’s head?” said Hannah in 
despair. 

How can I guess? And yet; — Yes, I have 
it! It’s Sunshine’s return! That is it ex- 
actly. Why in the world didn’t we think of 
it at once. Of course that is the reason, don’t 
you understand it? She will come on the 
fourteenth, and Mr. Davis wishes to give her 
a royal welcome. It is certainly very kind 
of him, and I appreciate it immensely,” cried 
Mrs. Ellery, little realizing how very great 
would be “ the slip betwixt the cup and the 
lip” this time. 

“ Do you really think that this is the 
reason?” exclaimed Hannah, feeling that she 
would be willing to go to even this extent in 
order to welcome the girl who had grown so 
dear to her during the Autumn, yet somehow 
entertaining serious misgivings of this being 
Abiah’s motive, for even though Mrs. Ellery 
knew Abiah pretty well, Hannah felt that she 
knew him even a trifle better, and his line of 
conduct since Sunshine’s return to her home 


341 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


in New York, had not led her to believe that 
his joy at her second visit would dictate any 
such demonstration as he contemplated. How- 
ever, she let herself hope that such might be 
the case, and began to discuss ways and means 
with a far better grace than she otherwise 
would have done. Before Mrs. Ellery^s de- 
parture a dozen plans had been made, and 
Abiah’s first dance, given at the juvenile age 
of seventy, bid fair to be a success. Mrs. 
Ellery promised no end of assistance in the 
preparation of the good things, and when Bess 
learned of it she was ready to turn the roof 
hind-side before if necessary. 

It was now the end of the first week in De- 
cember, and only ten days to the date of the 
event of the season. The three women began 
the very next day, and such a turning and 
rearranging of furniture, dusting where no 
vestige of dust rested, and hustling out of the 
way of superfiuous things, the old farm house 
had never known before. 

Stolid and noncommittal, Abiah worked 
away too, helping wherever his strength was 
needed, stating in very positive terms just 
what he wished, or did not wish, and making 
himself both useful and disagreeable, till Mrs. 

342 


ABIAH LAYS PLANS 


Ellery was ready to box his ears one moment, 
and marvel at him the next. 

What puzzled her most was that all this 
time he had not once spoken of Sunshine, and 
yet she felt so sure that all this preparation 
was for her. But not a syllable uttered 
Abiah, and Sunshine might not have existed 
for any sign that he gave. 

The invitations were to be sent out one week 
ahead, and the afternoon of the eighth Abiah 
drove into Boston to get them. Hannah was 
alone when he returned with them, for Bess 
and Mrs. Ellery had gone home to prepare 
their own supper, promising to return early 
the next morning to begin the necessary bak- 
ing, for once warmed up to the work they and 
Hannah entered into it in earnest, and the 
larder fairly groaned with its supply of good 
things to be used in the preparation of the 
supper. 

When their own table was cleared away 
that evening Abiah settled himself in the din- 
ing-room and began to address his invitations. 

Wouldn’t you like me to address some,” 
asked Hannah, looking with some dismay at 
the stack Abiah had placed upon the table 
before him. 


343 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


No. Bather do it myself, and then I’ll 
know who’s a-comin’ and who ain’t. Don’t 
mean to take no chances of gettin’ people I 
don’t want,” was Abiah’s rather ungracious 
reply. 

“ Why I thought you were going to invite 
all the young people, and I know their names 
just as well as you do,” said Hannah, feeling 
for the first time that something was not just 
as it should be, but never for a moment sus- 
pecting the true state of affairs. 

Abiah did not volunteer any further infor- 
mation, but went steadily on with his writing. 
At the end of an hour he gathered up the pile 
placed them carefully in a small box, and 
locked them in his desk with the announce- 
ment: 

There ! That job’s done, and termorrer 
mornin’ Jim Turner’s boy is a-goin’ ter leave 
’em round at the places. Reckon it’ll stir 
things up some in this place, an’ some folks ’ll 
learn that Abiah Davis can do a thing or two 
when he takes a notion.” 


344 


XXIX 

MRS. ELLERY LAYS 
COUNTER-PLANS 


CHAPTER XXIX 


Mrs. Ellery Lays Counter-Plans 

Mother, do come and watch him! 

1 f Isn’t he too funny in his im- 
portance,” cried Bess Ellery next 
morning as she stood at their own sitting- 
room window watching Abiah as he gave his 
box of invitations into the care of a small 
boy who received it with a grin. Mrs. 
Ellery joined Bess and also joined in her 
laugh at Abiah’s self-importance, for the cur- 
tains concealed them from his view, and they 
could indulge their mirth without arousing 
his suspicion. Of course, they could not over- 
hear the conversation, but to judge from the 
expressions upon the boy’s and the man’s 
faces one was in dead earnest while the other 
was mightily amused. At last the boy suc- 
ceeded in settling the box to Abiah’s satisfac- 
tion, and was about to start off, when some 
evil intentioned imp prompted him to make 
a parting remark. Mrs. Ellery and Bess could 
not hear the words, but were not long left in 

347 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


doubt as to their purport, for before that 
heedless boy could take a step, a stinging box 
upon the ear warned him to have a care as to 
how he addressed the prospective host, and 
with a howl he fled through the gateway. 

Now let us be prepared for the honour 
about to fall upon us,’^ cried Mrs. Ellery when 
she and Bess had recovered from their 
laughter. 

I have my very finest note paper all laid 
out ready to write our acceptance,” laughed 
Bess. 

‘‘ He evidently does not intend to come here 
first, anyway,” said Mrs. Ellery, for he has 
started toward Mrs. Fillamore’s.” 

“ How obtuse you are, Mother. Don’t you 
understand that it would never be compatible 
vdth Abiah’s idea of ceremony for his messen- 
ger to do anything so very commonplace as 
to walk right next door the very first thing! 
I am surprised at your want of discrimina- 
tion,” and Bess went off into another gale. 

^ For ways that are dark, and tricks that 
are vain,’ commend me to — Abiah Davis,” 
said Mrs. Ellery joining in the laugh. “ It 
would not surprise me if he sent Sunshine’s 
348 


MRS. ELLERrS COUNTER-PLAN 


invitation done up in a silken wrapping. But 
hurry up, Bess, and let us get over to help 
Mrs. Davis. Poor woman, if she is not driven 
insane before this latest and most erratic of 
all the freaks ever indulged in by her ‘ Mann ^ 
is ended, I shall be thankful.’’ 

We will leave the outer door unfastened 
when we go over, and then Billy Turner can 
slip in and leave our ‘ invite ’ when he gets 
around to it,” said Bess just as they were 
starting. 

The three women spent a busy morning, and 
when it came time to return to their own home 
for dinner Mrs. Ellery and Bess felt that great 
headway had been made in the preparations 
and that Abiah would have no cause to com- 
plain of a dearth of supplies. They had seen 
nothing of him all the morning, but concluded 
that he had been attending to his own very 
important affairs. 

Now for the fun,” cried Bess, as she step- 
ped into the little outer kitchen whose door 
had been left ajar for Abiah’s messenger. 

But no trace of him lay before them, and 
neither scrap nor sign of invitation was to be 
seen. 


349 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


You don’t suppose that he has had them 
all sent by post, do you? ” demanded Bess in 
amazement. 

^‘Not a bit of it! Abiah is outdoing him- 
self in an amazing degree, but he is never 
going to cast his precious pennies away in 
that reckless style if I know him. There is 
some new surprise in store, see if there isn’t,” 
and Mrs. Ellery shook her head wisely, little 
dreaming how great a one it would prove. 

The dinner was barely ended when three of 
the girls living near at hand came flying 
across the flelds, giggling and talking as 
though much amused at something. Bushing 
into Mrs. Ellery’s dining-room where she and 
Bess still sat, they each triumphantly waved 
a creamy envelope and cried out in one breath : 

Look ! Look ! Look ! What is the world 
coming to ! ” and then laughed till they cried. 

“ Show us yours, quick, Bess. We can’t 
believe that it is true till we see yours and 
Mrs. Ellery’s. Whatever in this world put 
such an idea in the man’s head, and what 
does Mrs. Davis say and do about it. When 
will Sunshine come? How I wish she could 
be in the fun ! ” 

“We have half a notion that it is all done 

350 


MRS. ELLERrS COUNTER-PLAN 


for her benefit, although there is no telling,’^ 
said Mrs. Ellery shaking her head doubtfully, 
for no man, woman or child could know what 
Abiah might do. 

Do you, really? What fun. But we 
thought that he was put out with her, or Mr. 
Crowell, or somebody, for something.’^ 

O he was a little annoyed about something 
Mr. Crowell did or rather did not do just 
when he left, but I guess it is all forgotten 
by this time. It did not amount to much 
anyway,” answered Mrs. Ellery, wondering 
how the hint of it had gotten about, as she 
had not given a sign, and concluding that 
Abiah must have dropped some words in his 
resentment. 

“We think that he is doing this entirely for 
Sunshine’s benefit,” said Bess. “A sort of 
hoorah of a welcome, don’t you see? ” 

“ Wouldn’t it be funny if it was ! ” laughed 
the girls. “ But let us see your invitations. 
Are they the same as ours? ” 

“ We haven’t any yet,” answered Bess. 
“ Maybe they are coming by special messen- 
ger. Who knows,” and Bess laughed again. 

But conjectures were of no use, and it was 
not until three or four days slipped by 

351 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


and no invitations appeared that the whole 
truth began to dawn upon Mrs. Ellery, and 
then indignation and the determination to 
thwart Abiah Davis in his small-souled, con- 
temptible scheming put her upon her mettle, 
and if Abiah won his point it would be be- 
cause quick-witted Elizabeth Ellery was sadly 
falling off in her resources. 

Not a sign did either she or Bess give to 
Hannah that they had not been invited, for 
they well knew that this piece of news would 
be the very last straw to lay upon her, and that 
she would utterly collapse under it. So day 
after day they went across the little garden 
and worked with a good will till all was in 
readiness, and right up to the moment of Sun- 
shine^s arrival helped Hannah in every pos- 
sible way. 

But her own plans had not been neglected 
all this time, and were laid to a nicety. 

Sunshine came late in the evening, too late 
to greet any of their neighbors, so the cat 
did not escape from the bag that night, and 
early the following morning Bess, Mrs. Ellery 
and the boys started for Boston, taking Sun- 
shine with them, Mrs. Ellery explaining that 
she had a little surprise planned for her, but 

352 


MRS. ELLERrS COUNTER-PLAN 


wished first to have her go with them to see 
Mary Maloney and do some shopping. Light- 
hearted and merry as ever, Sunshine asked no 
questions, and accepted it all as a part of the 
holiday outing. Before they started she ran 
over to see Mrs. Davis and Abiah for a mo- 
ment and her reception by the former left her 
no reason to question its warmth, and being 
so filled with affection and good-will herself 
she was entirely unconscious of the lack of it 
in Abiah. 

I wish I could stay and have a nice long 
talk with you both, but Cousin Elizabeth has 
some plan afoot for me, and I must run right 
back. Vll come over just the minute we get 
back, for I have stacks and stacks of things 
to tell to you and Mr. Davis. Good-by for a 
little while.” 

Oh, yes, we will see you this evening,” said 
Hannah. “ We couldn’t get along without 
you, you know.” 

“Huh! Couldn’t we! We’ll see,” mut- 
tered Abiah under his breath as the radiant 
little creature flitted through the door. 
“ Mebbe I’ll do something by way of gettin’ 
square with that skinflint of a father of 
yours,” and still mumbling he left the kitchen. 

353 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Mary Maloney greeted them with rapture, 
and the “ offspring nearly annihilated Sun- 
shine. 

“ Now listen to me,’^ she said, when she had 
succeeded in calming them down a trifle, and 
was sitting upon the floor in their midst tell- 
ing them about the wonderful things she had 
seen in New York before leaving, and how the 
shops were all dressed in their Christmas 
finery. Have you ever seen Santa Claus? 

“ A real, sure ^nough one. Miss Sunshine? ” 
demanded Danny. 

“As real and sure enough as he cm be,” 
answered Sunshine smiling into the serious 
faces all about her. 

“No we ain’t. We thought he was all a 
fake. Ain’t he, true? ” 

“ What should you think if he really came 
here Christmas Eve and left a big pack by the 
fireplace? ” 

“ Come right down the dirty chimbly,” 
asked Kitty incredulously. 

“ He never gets any of the dirt on him ; he 
is a saint, you know,” answered Sunshine with 
a merry little laugh. 

“ Ah, say; what yer givin’ us? He couldn’t 
git troo de fireboard ; see? ” asserted Danny. 

354 


MRS. ELLERrS COUNTER-PLAN 


Danny was growing in knowledge, for did he 
not go to school and learn that : “ Four 
fathers make a penny, although why four 
fathers were not able to make more than one 
penny he could not for the life of him under- 
stand and had long since given up trying. 

“ Wait and see,” said Sunshine. I am 
going to ask your mother to let me have the 
fireboard taken down on Christmas Eve and 
then I guess things will happen. But I must 
go with Cousin Elizabeth now. She is ready 
to start. Now don’t forget what I have told 
you, and watch for me, because I shall come 
back again,” and leaving, as usual, some of 
her sunshine behind her, without ever suspect- 
ing that she had done so, she followed Mrs. 
Ellery from the room. 


355 


'.I 


I 

I 



XXX 

ABIAH PREPARES TO PLAY 
HOST 


CHAPTEE XXX 


Abiah Prepares to Play Host 

H appy hours, like busy ones, slip 
away so quickly. It was noon be- 
fore they left Mary^s and after a 
merry luncheon, they all went shopping for 
Christmas. Sunshine had left all her pur- 
chases to be made in Boston, for her father 
and mother were to come for Christmas day, 
arriving early Christmas morning, as Mr. 
Crowell could not well leave his business 
earlier. The novelty of doing her shopping in 
Boston with Mrs. Ellery and Bess only 
added to the pleasure of it, and they had great 
fun planning and carrying the plans into 
effect. 

And now I want to get something for the 
‘ offspring,’ ” said Sunshine, “ and have it all 
packed in a big bag and left at the fireplace 
for them to find Christmas morning. I asked 
Mary if she would let me get up a surprise 

359 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


for the children, and she seemed ready to let 
me take down the side of the house if I wanted 
to,” said Sunshina 

So another hour was spent in selecting 
dolls, horses, carts, and all sorts of jimcracks 
for the youngsters, and then a more substan- 
tial supply was chosen, and from Jimmy down 
to Patrick the wardrobes were replenished, 
and Mary would rejoice at the thought that 
the “ childer ” would be warmly clad that 
winter, and she herself made comfortable with 
a fine dress and warm shawl, which, as she 
later asserted, must a-cost five dollars if it 
cost a cint” 

Before they realized it the afternoon was 
gone, and just as Sunshine began to think 
that it was high time for them to get back 
to Meadington, Mrs. Ellery announced her in- 
tention of meeting the boys and dining in 
town with them, after which they would all 
go to see Floradora.” 

Oh, what fun ! ” cried Sunshine, I did 
not hear it in New York, for I had such a 
fearful cold when it was played there that 
Mamma did not dare let me go out in the eve- 
ning for ever so long, and now it will be such 
a treat Cousin Elizabeth, you are just a 
360 


ABIAH TO PLAT HOST 


dear,” and she gave Mrs. Ellery^s arm a rap- 
turous little squeeze by way of emphasis. 

This was another of Sunshine’s charms. 
Everything was always exactly the right 
thing, and even though many, many pleasures 
came into her life, and many lovely gifts were 
lavished upon her, each pleasure, each gift 
held its peculiar charm for her, and the one 
who gave them was sure to feel a glow of sat- 
isfaction for having given the gift or made 
the pleasure possible for her. To watch her 
thorough enjoyment of anything made one 
feel that the pleasure was more one’s own than 
the girl’s. Nothing palled upon her, and 
whether the source of entertainment was one 
only to be obtained by ample means, or 
whether it represented no outlay whatever but 
the thought, her appreciation was equally 
keen, and she was quick to feel the affection 
which prompted the act. 

Perhaps some reader will say : “ She is too 
good. It is not natural to be gay and happy 
always, with never a frown or a sharp word.” 
Yes, I am sorry to confess that such char- 
acters are rare, but they do exist, for I know 
just such an one, and have watched its won- 
derful development with absorbing interest 
361 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


However, I am forced to admit tliat such a de- 
velopment is largely the result of training and 
environment, and needs a world of love and 
tenderness, justice and infinite trust to bring 
it to perfection. 

And so the day passed, and it was long past 
midnight when the tired party reached Mead- 
ington, and slipped into their home without 
Sunshine ever suspecting what had taken 
place next door, or the outcome of it all for 
the two individuals who dwelt there. Mean- 
while how progressed Abiah’s schemes? 

Never was host more burdened with his re- 
sponsibilities, never did social function come 
nearer driving wholly insane the one who gave 
it Although the dance was not to begin till 
eight o’clock, by four in the afternoon Abiah 
began his toilet, and truly, it was a thing 
to dream of, not to tell.” In order to feel 
free from any farm duties, or the care of Je- 
rusha, Abiah had fed and watered her at three 
o’clock in the afternoon, giving her an extra 
supply of both lest she famish before he 
got about next morning, for being unaccus- 
tomed to late hours, Abiah felt pretty sure 
that Jerusha would not get her breakfast at 
her usual hour upon the following day. That 
362 



1 


“ ‘HOW-DE-DO ! HOW-DE-DO ! HAPPY TO SEE YOU.’” 

Page 365 


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-1 


ABIAH TO PLAT HOST 


duty attended to, he went to his room and laid 
upon his bed every garment he possessed, 
meaning to select from the collection such 
articles as seemed best suited to the occasion. 
And, truly, the result was amazing, and when 
an hour later Hannah came upon him she 
stood speechless. 

Well, what in tarnation be ye a-lookin’ at, 
any how? Don^t I look all right? ” demanded 
Abiah, when Hannah had stood for perhaps 
two whole minutes without uttering a word, 
although her eyes has not missed a single de- 
tail of his toilet. 

Why I supposed that you would put on 
your black broadcloth,” replied Hannah, the 
faintest trace of a smile creeping about her 
mouth. 

Black broadcloth ! ” snapped Abiah. Do 
you think I^m a-goin’ ter have a prayer meetin^ 
or a funeral here? And say, look a-here, 
what be you a-goin’ ter wear? I don’t want 
no solemn-mourn-for-yer-friends, frocks in my 
house ternight.” 

‘‘ I expected to put on my black silk,” an- 
swered Hannah. 

‘‘Black thunder! No ye needn’t. I want 
yer ter wear that drab-gray shiny satiny stuff 

363 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


dress what ye ain’t wore in a long time. That’s 
got some style about it.” 

Why Abiah, that dress was made fifteen 
years ago, and I haven’t had it on in over 
twelve. It has been laid away all these years. 
I can’t wear such a dress as that.” 

Yis ye can ! Yis ye can ! Now don’t take 
ter pesterin’ me at the last minit, but go git 
it out right off,” and Abiah turned to the 
looking-glass to struggle with a refractory 
collar button, and the tussle he had to get it 
in place did not add to the sweetness of his 
temper. But at last the toilet was completed, 
and was indeed a wonder. 

The boots, not shoes, for Abiah scorned 
such new-fangled notions, were new ones, 
purchased for the occasion, and about as com- 
fortable as new footgear of any sort ever is. 
They were heavy of sole, and substantial as 
to uppers. His trousers were those in which 
he had been wedded more than forty years 
before, and were of the palest gray as to color, 
and decidedly tight as to fit, for years had 
added breadth to Abiah. The waistcoat was 
fresh from a ready-made clothing store, and 
was of many colors, like Joseph’s coat of yore, 
the ground work being a royal blue, and upon 

364 


ABIAH TO PLAT HOST 


it festive plaid of red and yellow stripes. 
Learning from the haberdasher from whom he 
had purchased the waistcoat that high collars 
were “ the ” thing, he had invested in one, 
and also- a beautifully tucked shirt, and white 
tie, and with these he was now struggling, 
while the black broadcloth coat which had 
done duty through many a summer and winter 
lay upon a chair all ready for its owner to 
don. In due time the white mull tie was tied 
to his satisfaction, and the coat slipped on, 
then placing his left hand in the bosom of the 
festive vest, he struck an attitude before the 
mirror and proceeded to admire the general 
effect 

“ How-de-do ! How-de — do ! Happy to see 
ye! Find yourself well, I hope,” and Abiah 
extended his right hand to an imaginary guest 
and bowed as profoundly as a rather rotund 
figure would permit him to. Then coming 
closer to the mirror he peered long and earn- 
estly at the figure reflected therein, and finally 
said to himself : She said onct that I was 
quite hansom, Keckon she’d think so if she 
could see me now. Kinder wish she ivas 
a-goin’ ter after all. No I don^'t neither! 
Gosh darn it. I’ll get square with that father 

365 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


of hers! Cheatin’ me out of all that money! 
and I guess they’ll think a thing or two when 
they find out what a party I’ve give an’ never 
invited their girl. Kinder hard on the girl 
though. I’m sort o’ sorry fer that, but there 
wan’t no other way ter sit on ’em as I could 
see, and it sarves ’em right too,” and with a 
final resentful glare at the man in the mirror 
Abiah left the room to fume and fret about 
the house till the hour appointed for the 
arrival of his guests. 


366 


XXXI 

NOW TREAD WE A 
MEASURE” 







CHAPTER XXXI 


^‘Now Tread IVe a Measure^^ 

A t six o^clock Hannah and Abiah sat 
down in their kitchen to a light sup- 
per, for the dining-room was given 
over to the well-laden table which had been 
prepared for the refreshment of their guests. 
It was no easy matter for Abiah to partake of 
his food arrayed as he was, for the tight 
trousers rendered sitting down anything but 
a comfortable position, and the elegant waist- 
coat, shirt and tie were somewhat endangered 
each time a mouthful of food was conveyed 
to his mouth. After some narrow escapes, 
Abiah’s none too elastic patience snapped, and 
starting out of his chair, he exclaimed : 

“ Gosh darn it, if I had ter eat in such a 
rig as this every night, I’d have a caliker bag 
made and git in it ter keep myself from gittin’ 
mussed up,” and striding across the room he 

369 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


caught up an ironing sheet which lay upon a 
chair and proceeded to roll himself in it. 

For Hannah no ironing sheets were neces- 
sary, for nothing could have been neater or 
in more perfect keeping with her serene na- 
ture than were her toilet and conduct. She 
had not followed Abiah’s instructions regard- 
ing the dress she was to wear, and for a 
wonder he neither fumed nor commented upon 
the omission. Perhaps way down in his con- 
trary old heart he secretly admired her too 
much to leave room for an adverse criticism, 
and truly Hannah looked the very embodi- 
ment of what she really was: A sweet tem- 
pered, placid gentlewoman, who recognized 
the position she filled in the world^s social 
economy and knew how to fill it gracefully. 

She wore the black silk, one rich and ele- 
gant in texture, and also wore one of the relics 
of the days when she and Jenny used to go 
about together, a handsome set of lace, — col- 
lar, cuffs and dainty cap. She did not need 
anything else, and as Abiah cast furtive 
glances at her while she sat opposite him, a 
flicker of the old warmth which he once had 
felt for the sweet-faced girl whom he had made 
his wife years before sprung up in his heart, 

370 


« NOW TREAD WE A MEASURE* 


and for a moment he recalled the words Sun- 
shine had used during the previous summer. 
But the flicker soon died out, for Abiah was 
beginning to have troubles of his own to think 
about. 

When Mrs. Ellery and her party started off 
in the morning he had felt rather glad than 
otherwise, for irritable as he was, and con- 
sumed by his carefully fostered resentment, 
the thought of having Sunshine flitting about 
all day, when he knew full well that she and 
those she loved were to be humiliated by him 
that evening if he could possibly compass that 
humiliation, was almost too much for his 
equanimity, and he was heartily glad to have 
his next-door neighbors separated from him 
by several miles for the time being. But as 
the afternoon crept along, and they did not 
return, and when evening closed in there was 
still no sign of them, he began to fidget, and 
it was not wholly his concern regarding the 
immaculate condition of his shirt front which 
caused him to squirm about upon his chair, 
and glance again and again from the kitchen 
window. 

As a popular nearby suburb, made so very 
largely by the excellent train service between it 

371 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


and Boston, Meadington sent forth in the morn- 
ing, and received again at night-fall, about 
half of her population, for all the young men, 
and many of the older ones as well, went daily 
to the city, and for so small and unimportant a 
place in itself, the little hamlet created quite 
a stir every time the great, puffing locomotive 
and its long train of cars drew up at the tiny 
station to deposit a portion of its burden be- 
fore rumbling and tooting its way around the 
sharp curve to the more important towns 
further up the line. The trains arrived in 
rapid succession between five and seven 
o’clock, and each time one drew up to the 
station Abiah was on the alert to watch the 
passengers as they alighted, for they were in 
plain view from his windows. Hannah was 
too fully occupied with her final preparations 
to pay much heed to him, and even had she 
done so, would have attributed his anxiety to 
a much more creditable motive, for she, too, 
was growing somewhat disturbed by the non- 
appearance of her neighbors. However, as 
darkness drew on, and neither she nor Abiah 
could have seen Mrs. Ellery’s family return 
without going out of doors altogether, she al- 
most ceased to think of them at all, for she 
372 


‘‘ NOW TREAD WE A MEASURE ” 


had much to attend to at the last moment, and 
before long her other guests would arrive, and 
she had not a doubt that her neighbors would 
arrive with them. 

At half past seven the musicians whom 
Abiah had engaged, arrived upon the scene, 
and he had much ado to get them settled to 
his entire satisfaction. They were two gen- 
tlemen of color who were well known to the 
Meadington people for their “ fiddling,’’ and 
now armed with their violins, and fairly 
quivering to begin, they were ensconced in 
the bay-window to await the arrival of the 
dancers. Before eight o’clock had tinkled out 
from the parlor ” clock the young people be- 
gan to arrive and were met by Abiah in the 
front hall. He had not forgotten his rehear- 
sal before his mirror, and the warmth and 
cordiality of his welcome to his guests caused 
them to wonder what had come over him. Not 
one whom he had invited failed to accept, and 
by half past eight, parlor, hall and sitting- 
room beyond were filled to overflowing with a 
laughing, happy gathering of young people. 
Presently the musicians struck up and the 
dance began in earnest. 

Bound to fill his position as host to the 

373 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


letter, Abiah made his way to the prettiest 
girl in the room and pressing his hand tO' that 
portion of his anatomy where his heart was 
supposed to lie, he taxed the texture of 
the pearl-colored trousers to its utmost and 
a moment later was skipping and hopping 
down the room in a manner which fairly made 
one hold one’s breath, and caused the other 
guests to marv^el at his agility, for, truly, 
Abiah’s dancing was most astonishing. Of the 
present day stjde of dancing he knew nothing, 
and even had he possessed a knowledge of the 
stiff, walk-about motions so in vogue at pres- 
ent that those indulging in Terpsichorean feats 
look like nothing in this world but a lot of 
dry goods shop lay figures being pushed about 
by some unseen power, he would have sniffed 
audibly at such ideas of dancing. Neither 
did he know anything of the old style graceful 
glide. Abiah had danced when dancing set 
his very toes a-tingle, and caused their owner 
to bounce about as a rubber ball, and now 
after a lapse of fifty years, the sound of the 
violins, and the pat pat of the musicians’ feet 
upon the floor as they kept time to their own 
playing, ran straight through his being and 
settled in his toes, so that tight trousers, new 

374 


NOW TREAD WE A MEASURE^^ 


boots nevertheless, and notwithstanding, he 
whirled his partner through the rooms till she 
was breathless, and every hair was flying. 
Abiah certainly enjoyed that dance if he en- 
joyed anything, but even into the sweetest cup 
must fall a bitter drop, and his drop came in 
the form of a perfectly innocent question 
asked by his partner, when they at last paused 
for breath. 

Why Mr. Davis, who ever supposed that 
you could dance like that? Wasn’t it splen- 
did? I don’t believe there is a young man in 
the room who can do it,” exclaimed his part- 
ner, when he at last led her to a sofa, and 
stood near fanning her with a newspaper 
which he had caught up from a table near at 
hand and folded into the shape of a fan. 

’Twas pretty good goin’ fer seventy, wan’t 
it now? Phew, I ain’t danced fer more ’n 
fifty years, but I ain’t forgot how, have I ? ” 

“ I guess you haven’t ! But why don’t you 
sit down and rest? I’m willing to admit that 
/ am tired,” and she made room for him on 
the sofa beside her. 

Abiah looked rather longingly at the seat, 
for he was both warm and weary, and the 
perspiration stood upon his brow. Moreover, 

375 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


tlie new boots were asserting themselves, and 
rest would have been welcome, but, oh, those 
tight nether garments ! 

“ You would better rest some,” continued 
the girl. Presently your guest of honor will 
arrive, and then you will have to tread a meas- 
ure with her. Don’t think that we Meading- 
ton girls are conceited enough to believe that 
all this fun has been gotten up for us. No, 
indeed ! We have lived here all our lives and 
never had anything so fine happen. We know 
that you have done it because you are so fond 
of Sunshine, and we don’t blame you a bit. 
She deserves it all, and now we shall all be 
ready to tear our own hair because we were 
not bright or energetic enough to give her 
such a welcome. Never mind, you and Mrs. 
Davis may claim every bit of the honor, 
because you took all the trouble. But 
where can Sunshine be. Isn’t it funny that 
they don’t come. Are they in the other room 
do you think? Let’s go and see. I can’t 
wait another moment to see her,” and spring- 
ing up Abiah’s partner placed her hand upon 
his arm and willy-nilly, he went into the ad- 
joining room. But, of course, no Sunshine 
was to be found anywhere, and as the eve- 

376 


^^NOW TREAD WE A MEASURE^* 


ning advanced, conjecture became rife. By 
this time Hannah began to grow suspicious, 
and dire forebodings to take possession of her 
soul. In the midst of the gaiety she man- 
aged to catch Abiah as he was passing througli 
the hall and to ask: 

“ Do you know why Mrs. Ellery and her 
family are so late in coming. It is too bad 
to have them miss so much of the frolic.” 

“ Who said they were a-comin’ at all? ” 
asked Abiah sulkily. 

“ Not coming at all, Abiah! What do you 
mean?” asked Hannah with more spirit than 
usual. 

Who said they was invited ter come? ” 
replied Abiah, trying to pass by her. But for 
once Hannah was resolute, so planting herself 
determinedly before him she demanded : 

“ Abiah Davis, do you mean to tell me that 
you did not ask them to come! That you 
have put such a slight as this upon the kindest 
neighbors anyone ever had, and have openly 
insulted the sunniest, sweetest little soul that 
ever brought gladness into a desolate house- 
hold?” 

Hannah had never looked handsomer or 
nobler than she did at that moment, for in- 

377 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


dignation made her eyes glow, and excitement 
lent a slight color to her cheeks. 

Yis, I do ! I mean ter tell yer jist that 
thing exactly, for now I^ve got square with 
that father of hers, for to have his daughter 
snubbed will be the worst kind of a hit I could 
give him.” 

Always an imposing figure, Hannah seemed 
to fairly tower over Abiah in her righteous 
indignation now, for with one scornful look 
she said : “ Take care that your carefully laid 
schemes do not redound to 3^our own undoing, 
for if I am not very much mistaken you will 
be the one to be humiliated, and not the girl 
toward whom you have directed your petty 
spite. I should not be surprised to see you 
the laughing stock of the place, and I firmly 
believe that you fully deserve to be. I don^t 
know that I can ever forgive you this act,” 
and Hannah swept past him the very personi- 
fication of scorn. 


378 


XXXII 

SUCCESS OR FAILURE 



CHAPTER XXXII 


Success or Failure 

A S Hannah passed from the hall Abiah 
stood for one moment as though 
struck dumb. That Hannah, the 
worm which had been trodden upon for years, 
should at last turn upon him rendered him 
utterly speechless. He had nagged at her, 
stormed at her, and tormented her in a thou- 
sand ways without eliciting one word of pro- 
test, and like most natures of that sort, the 
less resistance offered it the more it op- 
pressed. But what she was ready to endure 
at Abiah^s hands when directed only toward 
herself was one thing, and quite another when 
directed toward one whom she had grown to 
love as dearly as she had grown to love Sun- 
shine, and all her sense of right and justice 
was outraged. 

With a heavy heart she went back to her 
guests, where she felt that her duty lay, but 
not one of them ever suspected the struggle 
she was making to appear as usual. Mean- 

381 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


while Abiah had rejoined his young people 
and presently supper was announced. Will 
someone tell me how little whispers get 
started? Yet get started they certainly do, 
and like a snowball, grow larger and more 
formidable as they roll along. Abiah’s part- 
ner was unconsciously the one to start this 
one rolling, and by the time he got back to his 
guests it threatened to fairly overwhelm him. 

As he entered the parlor three or four of 
the girls and boys swarmed around him, and 
as Meadington etiquette was not governed by 
the same rules which govern the etiquette of 
Boston, before he well realized what had hap- 
pened, Abiah was beset with a dozen ques- 
tions, and was being consoled for the very 
state of affairs which he, himself, regarded as 
subject for congratulation. 

O, Mr. Davis,” cried one girl, “ Mrs. 
Davis has just asked us to come out to supper, 
and we can’t till Sunshine comes! ” 

“ No, it would be a shame to have all the 
fun pass, and to eat our goodies without her 
and Bess. Can’t someone run over to find 
out where they are? ” 

“ I’ll go. Hold on a second,” cried one of 
the boys, and two others joined in with, 
382 


SUCCESS OR FAILURE 


Come on, fellows, let’s all go. We’ll fetch 
them over in jig time, and not let them spoil 
all our evening by playing us this prank. 
Don’t you worry, Mr. Davis. We’ll have your 
guest of honor here before Mrs. Davis’s coffee 
is even cool enough to drink ! ” and several of 
them rushed into the hall to catch up their 
hats and tear out of the house as only boys of 
fifteen and seventeen can. 

Abiah’s weapon was assuming the form of a 
boomerang. 

The girls ran to the windows, to watch the 
outcome of the onslaught upon their neigh- 
bors, but were filled with misgivings when 
they saw nothing but darkness in the house 
upon the other side of the little fence, and not 
the slightest sign of life anywhere. 

“ What can it mean? ” asked one. 

“Do you suppose they are all in bed?” 
asked another. 

“ No,” answered a third, “ I don’t believe 
they are at home at all, for I saw them all go 
to town this morning, and I am of the opinion 
that they have stayed there,” and an odd ex- 
pression crept into her eyes which was in- 
stantly noted by the others. They crowded 
about her and with lowered voices asked: 

383 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


‘‘What do you mean, Molly? Why should 
they do anything like that? ” 

Molly was one of the girls who had rushed 
over to show the invitations to Mrs. Ellery 
and Bess, and the one who asked if there had 
not been some hard feeling between Mr. 
Crowell and Mr. Davis. She had heard that 
Abiah had done something peculiar, but had 
never learned exactly what it was. How- 
ever, such was his reputation for peculiar 
actions that a mere hint was sufficient to set 
conjectures afloat, and his neighbors were 
ready to believe almost anything possible. 

“ Why, I just believe that Mr. Crowell 
would not let Sunshine come at all, and that 
Mr. Davis had gone too far to back out of giv- 
ing his dance before he found it out. It is 
sort of too bad, isn’t it? He is an old man 
and never in all his life went to so much 
trouble. And Mrs. Davis too, has worked so 
hard.” 

“ Yes, and Bess and Mrs. Ellery helped her 
every single day, for I found them over here 
ever so many times, and working just as hard 
as could be. I just can’t understand it a 
bit,” and Sally Curtis shook her curly head 
in perplexity. 


384 


SUCCESS OR FAILURE 


J ust then the boys came back. We can^t 
get in at all ! ” they cried in a chorus. The 
house is as dark as a pocket and all locked 
up. We banged and thumped enough to 
knock the door in, but couldn’t get a sign of 
an answer. They are all away. O what a 
sell, for it just spoils the whole shindy. No 
offence intended for you girls,” said one boy 
laughing, for we are u-nan-i-mous in our 
opinions as well as in our trials.” 

In more senses than one was Sunshine 
wanting at Abiah’s festivities and before the 
evening ended he was made to feel it keenly, 
for, even though the young people were gay 
and merry, as young people will and must 
be the world over, there was something miss- 
ing, and like the chilly East wind which often 
begins to blow even while the sun is shining 
brightly, a forerunner of the storm approach- 
ing, so an almost imperceptible chill fell upon 
the company which not even Hannah’s boun- 
tifully spread table, nor her sweet smile and 
naturally gracious manner, which somehow 
made each individual feel that she or he was 
especially the object of her attentions, could 
dispel, and Abiah began secretly to wish that 
he had never undertaken to play with weapons 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


which spring back to strike the thrower of 
them the sharpest blow of all unless he is 
skilled in the use of them. Where he had 
hoped to make Sunshine the object of his 
guests^ commiseration and sympathy because 
he had failed to include her among their num- 
ber, he found that he, himself, had become the 
object of both, and that nothing under the sun 
would ever make them believe that the girPs 
father had not refused to let her attend the 
dance. Their very sympathy for him, ex- 
pressed more by looks than actual words, was 
maddening to him, and he was heartily glad 
when twelve o’clock came and all took their 
departure. When the last one had stepped 
from the porch, and only the sounds of merry 
laughter and gay good-nights could be heard 
across the moonlit roads and fields, Abiah 
slammed the front door, strode just once 
through the empty, disordered rooms, and with 
a vindictive stamp of his foot, muttered, 
“ Gosh darn the whole concern,” went upstairs 
to his bedroom, slammed that door and locked 
it and was seen no more that night. The next 
morning when Hannah went into the room to 
make the bed she found the pearl colored 
trousers in a heap in one corner, the cherished 
386 


SUCCESS OR FAILURE 


waistcoat rolled in a wad under the bed where 
it had evidently been thrown, and the white 
mull tie torn asunder in the middle, as though 
Abiah had simply put his hand in under 
the bow without taking the trouble to untie 
it and jerked the whole thing off. Indeed, 
the room presented the appearance of having 
been struck by a cyclone. 


387 


XXXIII 

MRS. ELLERY PROVES HER- 
SELF A DIPLOMAT 



CHAPTER XXXIII 


Mrs. Rllery Proves Herself a 
Diplomat 

F rom a small snarl in a skein of silk 
can grow a big tangle trying to the 
spirit, and well nigh impossible to 
unsnarl. Only great patience and gentle 
handling can compass it, and sometimes it 
seems a waste of time to attempt it, and one 
is sorely tempted to catch up the sharp scissors 
at hand and snip the thread entirely. But 
then comes the inevitable knot, and there is no 
getting around it, or concealing it, try as hard 
as we may. 

To take Sunshine off for a frolic was simple 
enough, and settled the annoyance of the mo- 
ment in the pleasantest sort of way. But 
what was to be done the next day, and the 
next, and the next? This was the question 
which perplexed Mrs. Ellery when she at last 
settled her head upon the pillow that night, 
and she and Bess talked the matter over long 

391 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


after Sunshine in the adjoining room was in 
the land of dreams. 

I could not have believed it of him ! ” she 
exclaimed for the twentieth time at least, 
and now I have a fine, hair-splitting piece 
of work laid out for me, for stop tongues wag- 
ging I musty and how to do that and yet not 
have the bloom rubbed off my pretty peach in 
yonder is a vexatious question. Oh, dear, 
why need that miserable old man have come 
into the world at all? He has never done a 
single thing to make any one fond of him, or 
to make them even respect him, that I can 
discover, but has gone through his life ma- 
king everyone miserable, and himself so into 
the bargain. What a pity that St. Peter had 
not temporarily lost his key when it was time 
to let the youthful Abiah slip out of heaven. 
It would have saved his contemporaries a vast 
deal of discomfort,” and with a sigh of com- 
passion for her fellow beings who shared the 
affliction of Abiah, Mrs. Ellery turned upon 
her pillow and fell asleep. 

But Mrs. Ellery was not one to lie a-bed 
when duties confronted her, and the more un- 
pleasant the duty, the more eager was she to 
count it among those done. Consequently, 

392 


MRS. ELLERT A DIPLOMAT 


long before any of her family were astir the 
next morning, or Abiah had wakened from his 
peaceful ( ?) slumbers, she was up and dressed, 
and at the first sign of action in her neigh- 
bor’s house, she slipped through the gateway 
and tapped at Mrs. Davis’s kitchen door. 
Hannah opened it and the two women looked 
steadily into each other’s eyes for a moment, 
the one to assure the other that all was still 
well between them, and the other to ask the 
forgiveness she felt must be granted even 
though she had been far more offended 
against than an offender. Mrs. Ellery 
stretched forth both her hands and Hannah 
took them in her own firm, soft grasp, and 
then, as though the touch of her neighbor’s 
friendly clasp had been too much for her, Han- 
nah’s eyes filled with tears, and dropping her 
head upon Mrs. Ellery’s shoulder she did that 
which few had ever seen her do ; wept as only 
such a strong nature can weep. Mrs. Ellery 
did not attempt to console, for she felt the 
humiliation of Hannah’s position keenly, and 
realized that this was nature’s relief to a sorely 
over-burdened heart. Presently Hannah 
wiped away her tears, and turning to a chair 
near at hand placed it for Mrs. Ellery saying: 

393 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Sit down, kindest, truest of friends. Al- 
though I know that all is still well with ^ thee 
and me,’ I have much I wish to say to you, 
and in this quiet hour we need fear no inter- 
ruption. Much lies before us both and to- 
gether we must straighten matters out if they 
can be straightened. How is my dear child? 
Does she know? ” 

Not a thing, and never need, if we are 
careful. She, herself, will never suspect, for 
she is too entirely filled with sweet thoughts 
and impulses to suspect the opposite in others. 
Mark my word, the shaft aimed at her will 
glance from that impregnable armor of hers 
as a feather would from steel. God put a 
wonderful lesson before us when he created 
that child, and even this act which we so de- 
plore may be instrumental in bringing about 
greater things than we dream of. It is some- 
times difficult to believe and have faith, par- 
ticularly when we see the innocent made use 
of by those who are less scrupulous, but it 
would be a queer, jumbled up world if we poor 
mortals were permitted to conduct affairs, I’m 
afraid,” said Mrs. Ellery. 

More than an hour passed before Mrs. El- 
lery again slipped through the little gate, and 

394 


MRS. ELLERT A DIPLOMAT 


it was with a much lighter heart that both 
women went about their work. 

As though fate had resolved to give to 
Abiah the full length of the rope which we are 
told need only be given into the hands of a 
fool in order to let him hang himself, it was 
Sunshine herself who put the very last touch 
to Abiah^s discomfiture without ever in the 
least planning to do so. Mrs. Ellery decided 
that it would be better to mention the fact of 
the gathering at Abiah^s on the previous eve- 
ning, and accordingly spoke of it in the most 
casual manner while they were assembled at 
the breakfast table, and added as a matter of 
course, that it was really too bad that they 
should have both made plans for the same eve- 
ning. Her children were quick enough to see 
the drift of her remarks, and after talking for 
a few moments about the matter, turned the 
conversation upon other topics. 

The little scheme worked to a charm, for, 
fresh from the social environment of a large 
city, where each day and each evening held 
hundreds of engagements for hundreds of 
different people, and her own parents were 
often forced to decline the invitation of one 
friend because they had previously accepted 

395 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


that of another, she did not stop to analyze 
local conditions, but accepted the situation as 
the most natural one imaginable, and never 
gave it another thought. 

It was nearly nine o’clock before Abiah got 
about his usual morning duties, and Jerusha 
had fumed herself into a great state of mind 
and body ere he came to her relief, for the bot- 
tom was kicked entirely out of the bucket he 
had left in her stall, and her blanket, with 
both straps torn off the front, had twisted 
completely around, and was gracefully draped 
by the surcingle beneath her stomach, which 
state of affairs did not improve Abiah’s state 
of mind. He had just gotten matters straight- 
ened out, and was stepping from the stable 
when he was startled by Boo ! Mr. Davis. 
Are you going to pass by without seeing me? 
Good-morning. Isn’t it just the loveliest one 
you ever knew, and aren’t you glad to be alive 
on such a beautiful day? I am. It makes me 
want to dance and sing,” and in the old way, 
which was so much a part of her, she clasped 
both hands about his arm and pranced along 
beside him. “ Oh,” she continued, it is so 
good to be back here and to see you all again. 
I shall never forget how perfectly lovely every- 

396 


MRS. ELLERT A DIPLOMAT 


body was to me last summer, and you the best 
of all,” and she smiled one of her radiant 
smiles so impossible to resist. Not even Abiah, 
sullen with months of cherished resentment, 
could do so, and in spite of himself, he looked 
at her with less than his usual sourness, al- 
though all that he said was: 

Yis ; I s’pose most of yer friends will be 
glad ter see yer agin.” 

‘‘ And wasn’t it too bad I wasn’t here to see 
them at your house last night. Cousin Eliza- 
beth says that a lot of them were having such 
a good time there. It was too bad that our 
frolics were planned for the same night, wasn’t 
it? Next time we will have to compare notes,” 
she said laughing, “ for we mustn’t have our 
good times come all in a heap.” Then, as 
though the speech might possibly have cast a 
reflection upon him which she had not in- 
tended, she added : “ But never mind, such 
things so often happen; Papa and Mamma 
have many times wished that they could be at 
three or four different places at once, when 
lots of invitations come for the very same 
night. Next time I’ll come to your frolic, 
and we will have the very first dance together! 
Won’t that be fun? ” 


397 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


By this time they had reached the kitchen, 
from the window of which Hannah had 
watched their approach. As they neared it 
Abiah made some excuse and turned down the 
path which led to the meadow barns, leaving 
Sunshine to enter alone. She saw Hannah 
through the glass door, and came bounding in 
to throw her arms about that good woman^s 
neck and cry: 

“Now! Now! Now! I^m going to have the 
rest of the hug which I did not have half time 
for yesterday morning. Let me look at you 
hard just to see if you have changed the least 
little bit,” and she held Hannah at arm's 
length. “No! You are just the same dear 
Mrs. Davis that I had to leave behind me last 
October, and I am so glad to see you that I 
can^t begin to make you understand it.” 

Truly the shaft had failed to reach its mark, 
and deep down in her heart Hannah thanked 
the Lord most profoundly. 

While Sunshine was passing two happy 
hours with Mrs. Davis, Bess was improving 
the opportunity by calling upon a few of their 
neighbors, feeling that a word to the wise 
would be sufficient. So she was careful to 
choose those whom long friendship had proven 

398 


MRS. ELLERY A DIPLOMAT 


to be both prudent and stanch, and to say 
what she felt it necessary to say in as few 
words as possible, for all knew Mr. Davis well 
enough to comprehend pretty fully the exact 
state of affairs, and not a few of them had 
suffered by his erratic disposition in one way 
or another. They had all been conscious of 
the marvel wrought by Sunshine during her 
visit in September, and many had been the 
conjectures regarding the ultimate outcome. 
Some considered Abiah far beyond redemp- 
tion, and others, even though they hoped that 
something might alter the man^s life, had but 
little faith that it would ever come to pass. 
Nevertheless, all agreed that the least said 
the better, and the little hamlet took up arms 
in the defense of its own reputation. 

Furthermore, the holiday season was fill- 
ing their thoughts with other matters, and all 
were busy with their preparations for Christ- 
mas day. 

In Mrs. Ellery’s house it was always a merry 
one, and even though all her children were 
now grown to man and womanhood, they did 
not lay aside the old pranks, but still held to 
their childhood customs, and played all sorts 
of tricks upon each other, hiding the gifts in 

399 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


every conceivable place, wrapping the small 
ones in dozens of papers and laughing merrily 
at the struggles of the one eager to get 
free of the wrapping and to come upon it. 
Stockings were still hung, and secretly filled 
with each other’s presents, and the beautiful 
Christmas tree bloomed as it had done when 
they were wee toddlers, and had been firm be- 
lievers in good old Santa Claus. 

So it was no wonder that Sunshine had little 
time to think of Abiah and his caprices, for if 
she thought of him at all, it was to wonder 
what she could give him for his Christmas 
gift, and how best to smuggle it into the next 
house. 


400 


XXXIV 

CHRISTMAS EVE 



CHAPTER XXXIV 

Christmas Eve 

C HKISTMAS would fall upon Tuesday, 
and as the day drew nearer and 
nearer, Sunshine grew busier and 
busier with her plans. Many trips were made 
to Boston, and all was arranged for the little 
Maloney^s. Although she could not be there 
to see their delight on Christmas morning 
when the big bag, filled to overflowing with 
the things which delight children’s hearts, 
would be discovered by Mary’s youngsters, 
she had spared neither pains nor trouble to 
insure a happy day for them, and Mary had 
promised faithfully that all should be just as 
she wished. Timothy would remove the fire- 
board on Christmas Eve before the children 
were put to bed, and each child was to hang 
up a stocking; one specially selected and 
darned for the occasion, to guard against any- 
thing slipping through. Sunshine herself had 
helped select them, choosing the very largest 
the stock afforded, and helping Kitty to darn 

403 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


those that had seen better days. So having 
got all in order at Mary^s house, she turned 
her attention to those nearer home. 

She had brought with her from New York 
many pretty gifts which she had made during 
the previous months, for she was skillful with 
her needle, and took great delight in fashion- 
ing the gifts she gave, saying that they seemed 
more hers if she made instead of bought them. 
For Hannah she had crocheted a pretty little 
ice-wool shawl, knowing that it would prove 
snug and warm when she made her evening 
pilgrimages. But what to give to Abiah was 
a puzzle to her, or having made her choice, 
how to contrive a little fun with the giving. 
At last she hit upon a plan, and now only 
awaited the arrival of Christmas Eve to carry 
it into effect. 

For several days Hannah had been half sick 
with a bad cold, the result of overtaxing her 
strength and exposing herself during her 
preparations for Abiah’s dance, and although 
the Sunday preceding Christmas was cold and 
raw, with an atmosphere which penetrated to 
the very marrow of one^s bones, she wrapped 
herself up warmly and went to the Cemetery. 

But she paid dearly for it. 

404 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


Since the dance Hannah had said even less 
than formerly to Abiah, for his last, and en- 
tirely unwarranted act, had wounded her more 
deeply than hundreds of others, even though 
no less contemptible, had ever done. But 
she could not forgive this one so easily, and 
for the first time in all their lives openly re- 
sented his conduct, and ignored him. This 
was a new condition of affairs for Abiah, for 
heretofore, he had bullied to his heart’s con- 
tent and Hannah had submitted without a 
word. True, she made no protest now, but, 
so contrary was his nature, that he would have 
felt relieved had she done so, and lost no op- 
portunity either to bring about an open rup- 
ture, to end in one of his stormy scenes, or to 
force her back into the old submissive spirit. 
But in neither course was he successful, for 
this time the wound was too deep to heal so 
easily. 

Sunshine went and came as usual, running 
in and out three or four times a day, laughing, 
chatting and singing from morning to night, 
and leaving a train of brightness behind her. 
She had confided to Hannah her plan for sur- 
prising Abiah, and Hannah had agreed to help 
her carry the plan into effect, although her 

405 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


heart rebelled against the girl casting her 
pearls where they were sure to be trampled 
under foot. But Sunshine never gave a 
thought to such a possibility. 

On Sunday night snow began to fall, and 
fell steadily all Monday, piling up the drifts 
till the fences were covered, and banking in 
road cuts till travel was well nigh impossible. 
Hannah^s cold grew much worse, and having 
to drive to the next town through the storm 
to fetch a doctor for Hannah, and to bring 
back with him her sister to look after the 
house and nurse her, did not increase Abiah^s 
amiability. 

Sunshine devoted herself to the invalid, and 
consequently saw but little of Abiah. Dur- 
ing the afternoon he was obliged to go to 
Boston to procure some remedies the doctor 
wished Hannah to have, and also attend to 
various matters which it usually fell to Han- 
nah^s lot to attend to. Toward evening the 
storm ceased, and a glorious sunset filled the 
world with a beautiful promise. About five 
o^clock Sunshine slipped across to see if she 
could do anything for Hannah, and found 
Mrs. Slocum, Hannah^s sister, in the kitchen 
preparing supper. She smiled a welcome to 
406 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


the girl and said : “ Yes, yes, dearie; run right 
along up to her room. There^s no one on 
earth she^d sooner see, but go a-tip-toe, for she 
was drowsy when I came down a few minutes 
ago, and may be asleep now.” 

Sunshine slipped away upstairs, but finding 
Hannah asleep, did not tarry. As she passed 
through the deserted sitting-room on her way 
back she paused to look at the plants in the 
window. Some beautiful Christmas roses 
had bloomed since morning, and as she saw 
them she exclaimed in a low voice : And this 
will be the first Christmas Eve she has ever 
missed carrying Jenny the roses she used to 
love. What a pity! But why can’t I take 
them instead? ” 

In another moment the roses were cut and 
laid in the little basket which she took from 
its shelf in the hall. She had on her over- 
shoes and jacket, and quickly adding to these 
the cloud and warm shawl which Hannah al- 
ways wore, and which hung as usual upon the 
hook beneath the little shelf, she opened the 
upper door, stepped into the bitter cold twi- 
light and was soon speeding toward the Cem- 
etery. The snow lay in deep drifts beside the 
railway track, but walking between the rails 
407 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


which the snow plough had in a great measure 
freed, she soon reached her destination, and 
placing the beautiful pink blossoms upon the 
pure white mound said : Sleep sweetly this 
Christmas Eve, Jenny dear,” and then turned 
to retrace her steps. Kegaining the railway 
track she started rapidly along its compar- 
atively clear way in the fast gathering dusk, 
but had gone only a short distance when 
the whistle of a locomotive warned her to 
leave the track. Stepping quickly to one side 
to what she supposed to be a mound of snow, 
she plunged downward upon the stones below, 
for just at that spot the track was bridged 
across a deep gully. The noise of the passing 
train drowned her cry, and when it had gone 
by, a bruised and fainting girl lay helpless 
below. She tried to rise but an excruciating 
pain in her ankle caused her to fall back pant- 
ing, and after struggling for several moments 
she realized that a bad sprain held her prisoner. 

Meantime she had not been missed, for Mrs. 
Ellery supposed she was visiting with Han- 
nah, and Mrs. Slocum, who had heard the 
upper door close, concluded that finding Han- 
nah asleep, she had gone back to her cousin^s 
house. At half-past six Bess went over to 
408 


CHRISTMAS EFE 


call her to tea, and the discovery was made, 
and a search begun. Upon the sitting-room 
table lay a little parcel marked with Hannah^s 
name, and beside it a huge stocking cut from 
black cambric, and filled to the very top with 
the things Abiah most hankered for; oranges, 
nuts, and bonbons, for he had a child’s sweet 
tooth, and lower down bulged the nubby par- 
cels containing the gifts she had chosen for 
him. A little card had written upon it ; “ For 
Mr. Davis, from his grateful little friend. 
Sunshine.” 

Mrs. Ellery’s eyes filled with tears when she 
saw it. 

By this time Mrs. Ellery’s sons had returned 
from town and were soon rushing to every 
house in the neighborhood in quest of the girl, 
but as the search proved unavailing conster- 
nation filled the hearts of the searchers. They 
tried to keep Hannah in ignorance of the ca- 
lamity which had overtaken the household, 
but she managed nevertheless, to learn of it. 

It was nearly nine o’clock before Abiah re- 
turned from Boston, and was met at his door 
by Mrs. Ellery who asked with streaming 
eyes, and as though her last hope rested upon 
his answer: 


409 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


' Have you seen her, oh ! have you seen 
her? 

“ Seen who, Hannah? No, I be jist a-goin’ 
upstairs with this stuff fer her now.” 

no! Not Hannah, but Sunshine. 
She is lost, and we have been searching for her 
for hours. We thought it just possible that 
you might have seen her.” 

Sunshine lost ! Pieter lost! ” he cried, 
turning pale. 

Yes, we have searched everywhere for her, 
and our last hope was that you might have 
seen her. Where can she be? Where can 
she be?” 

Abiah acted like a person who has sustained 
a severe physical shock. For a moment he 
stood in the middle of the kitchen, apparently 
neither seeing nor hearing, then drawing his 
hand across his forehead like someone waking 
from a hideous dream, he started mechanically 
Upstairs with Hannah’s medicine. 


410 


XXXV 

PEACE AND GOOD WILL 










CHAPTER XXXV 

Peace and Good Will 

“ Glory to God in the higheBtl 
Peace on Earth: 

Good will toward men I” 

A S Abiah entered the upper hall and 
stopped to hang his great coat upon 
the rack, by some miraculous chance 
he became aware that Hannah^s shawl, the 
cloud, and the little basket were not in their 
accustomed places. For a moment he looked 
at the empty spaces, only half heeding their 
mute suggestion, and then suddenly started 
and muttered : “ She ain’t got out ’er bed and 
tried ter go there to-night ! ” and then went 
quickly upstairs to Hannah’s room. But 
Hannah was far beyond the power of taking 
that journey, for she was now in a raging 
fever, her anxiety for Sunshine coupled with 
her inability to assist in the search for the 
girl, having driven the good woman nearly 
frantic. 

Have they found her? Have they found 
her? ” she cried as Abiah entered. 


413 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


“ Found her? he echoed. Lor’ no, Lor’ no, 
and I was well nigh scart ter death fer fear that 
you’d gone an’ done some fool thing when I see 
yer shawl an’ baskit w^as gone from the hall 
rack,” for now that Hannah was seriously ill 
Abiah began to value her a little. 

Despite her condition, Hannah rose straight 
up in her bed and looked at him with wild 
eyes as she almost screamed : 

Abiah she has gone to the Cemetery ! She 
knew that I could not go to-night, and she 
has taken the flowers to Jenny! The down 
express ! Quick ! Quick ! Go ! ” 

Never before had Hannah issued a peremp- 
tory order to Abiah, and never before had he 
been known to obey her, but this time he liter- 
ally sprung to do her bidding, as he cried out : 

O God-a-mighty save her, save her, an’ 
help a wicked man ! ” and rushed from the 
room leaving Hannah to fall back upon her 
pillows and pray as only Hannah could. 

Never since Jenny had been placed in her 
lowly bed, nearly twenty years before, had 
Abiah followed that path. Then birds had 
been singing and flowers blooming. Yet after 
the lapse of years, and notwithstanding the 
changed aspect, the scene came before him like 
414 



“FLASHING HIS LIGHT INTO THE GULLY, HE DISCOVERED THE GIRL. 

Page 415 



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PEACE AND GOOD WILL 


a vision ; and like a vision lay revealed to him 
his life since that moment. 

Plunging along through the snow, with only 
his lantern to guide him, he went forward as 
one pursued by an evil spirit; as, indeed, he 
was, the evil spirit of his own miserable life, 
but, happily, now being exorcised forever. If 
ever a man suffered mental torture, Abiah did 
then, and from the moment he started, until 
he reached the Cemetery, each thought, each 
word was a prayer, the most earnest he had 
ever breathed to his Maker. 

There lay the roses where Sunshine had 
placed them, but, although he searched every- 
where, he could find no trace of her, excepting 
the footmarks upon the snow, and these led 
him back to the track. With deeply-drawn 
breaths he began to retrace his steps, when 
something dark upon the snow caught his eye. 
Keaching down he picked up the little basket, 
and as he did so he fancied he heard a faint 
moan. Flashing his light into the gully he 
discovered the unconscious girl. 

Lord-a-mighty, I thank thee! Amen! 
Amen ! Amen ! he cried in sobbing tones, as 
he placed his lantern upon the snow and made 
his way down the steep descent. 

415 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Sunshine could make no reply to the endear- 
ing terms the old man showered upon her as 
he gathered her into his arms, and bore her out 
of the gully. She was no light weight for him, 
but he seemed to have been given strength to 
bear it. Carry his lantern he could not, nor 
did he give it a thought, but clasping her 
tightly in his arms, as though to defy the grim 
messenger which seemed already to have 
claimed her, he bore his precious burden along 
the half-mile at a rate which seemed truly mar- 
velous in a man of his years. 

Ten was just striking when he burst into 
Hannah^s room, followed by Mrs. Ellery, Bess 
and Mrs. Slocum. They had tried to take her 
from him at the door, but with the cry of a 
wild beast defending its young, he had re- 
pulsed them, saying : 

** No, no ! Ye can’t take her! Ye can’t take 
her! She must be a peace offerin’; a pure, 
beautiful peace offerin’ fer a sinful man,” and 
going straight to Hannah’s bed, he laid Sun- 
shine, still wrapped in the old shawl and 
cloud, in Hannah’s outstretched arms, and 
then clasping his own trembling arms about 
them both, he fell upon his knees and prayed 
as one would never have believed it possible 
416 


PEACE AND GOOD WILL 


for Abiah to pray. Prayed for pardon for his 
past life of bitterness and malice, for forgive- 
ness for the unhappiness which he had brought 
into Hannah’s life, and for strength to con- 
quer himself in the future, and to bring joy 
and affection where he had brought only sor- 
row and humiliation. 

The women listening stood awed and spell- 
bound by the depths and pathos of his words. 
When he arose from his knees he said : 

Take her now, I’ve made my peace with 
the Lord, and I believe that He will help me 
to be a better man.” 

They carried her back to Mrs. Ellery’s and 
soon had her warmed and revived. The poor 
ankle was carefully bandaged until a physi- 
cian could be summoned to attend to it, and 
she was made as comfortable as possible. Just 
before midnight Abiah came to inquire about 
her. She heard his voice and asked to see him. 
It would require a graphic pen to describe that 
scene. Enveloped in a pale-blue wool wrapper, 
with her beautiful wavy brown hair falling 
about her, and the white pillows piled at her 
back, it is no wonder that he said just one 
word as he caught sight of her : 

‘‘ Angil ! ” 

417 


LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE 


Sunshine held out her arms to him as he 
crossed the room, and placed them about his 
neck as he gathered her into his own. 

^‘You found me, didn^t you?” she said. 
They told me about it. You have always 
been so kind to me, and you know that I love 
you dearly, don^t you? ” 

That was all, and as the softly spoken words 
died away the bells of the Meadington Chapel 
answered the bells of Boston as their chimes 
rang sweetly across the snow : 

“Glory to God in the highesti 
Peace on Earth: 

Good wiU toward menl 


418 



















THE GIFT BOOK OF THE SEASON 


The Book of Sport 

Written by the following Experts : 


Col. John Jacob Astor 
Oliver H. P. Belmont 
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